Witness Stones Project ’23
By Barrington Fulton, Jr., Head of Middle School
Welcome to our 7th grade Witness Stones Project. I am proud to explore the final outcomes of the project with all of you; I am particularly eager to recognize and honor the life of Nean while celebrating the culmination of weeks of research and writing that our students have completed. Honoring Nean marks the third time that Foote students have celebrated the humanity of an enslaved or formerly enslaved person in Connecticut.
Slavery is a dark part of our history. Despite the myriad difficulties with doing so, it is critical that we, as a school, thoughtfully shine light on our dark moments, so that we, as a people, can grow from a clearer view of both our past and present. My hope is that the work we do here at Foote — both with the Witness Stones Project and beyond it — helps to shape a more just and equitable future.
I want to take a moment to thank the humanities department, specifically our 7th grade teachers — Lara Anderson, Sheila Lavey and Skye Lee — for working with the Witness Stones Project and our students to make all of this possible. Their work has not only made it possible for our students to do more than just study history, but you have also created a space for students to do deep, meaningful work that will have an impact – work that will build a just future and dismantle current inequities – goals that The Witness Stones Project shares.
Lastly, thank you to the Witness Stones Project for its continued partnership and its work to restore the history and honor the humanity of the enslaved individuals who helped build our communities.