WS Chronicle

By Busta Brown

The Big 4 is celebrating 25 years of fellowship, friendship and service. The Big 4 is a collaboration of the four Historically Black High Schools in Winston-Salem: Carver, Simon G. Atkins, A.H. Anderson and J.W. Paisley High Schools.

Some of the most brilliant minds in politics, the medical field, ministry, and athletics have graduated from one of the Big 4 schools, which is why they’re kicking off their 25th anniversary with a Teachers’ Appreciation Luncheon.

“We want to honor the teachers who taught at the Big 4 high schools. It’s because of them so many of the graduates have become phenomenal men and women and are very active in serving their communities,” said Big 4 Alumni Event Coordinator of Forsyth County and A.H. Anderson alumnae Patricia Sadler.

The luncheon will take place at noon today at St. John’s CME Family Life Center, 350 N.W. Crawford St. in Winston-Salem. Friday night it’s the Jazz Jam, with live music from one of Simon G. Atkins’ alumni, jazz legend Joe Robinson. It’ll be smooth jazz and dinner at St. John’s CME Family Life beginning at 7 p.m.

Saturday night it’s time to let your hair down, leave work at the office or home, and come get your party on! It’s The Big 4 25th Anniversary Dance Party! Let’s go through a list of past performances: The Gap Band, S.O.S Band, Jefferey Osborne, Mother’s Finest, The Temptations, and Lakeside.

This year for the Big 4 25th anniversary, they decided to go back to how it all started “with a dance party,” said Patricia.

“But not just any dance party,” said Simon G. Adkins alumni Bill McClain. “We’re going to have the red carpet because this Saturday is our time to shine. As you’re walking down the red carpet, the cameras will be flashing, along with video interviews that will be shown on a big screen.”

I could hear the pride and excitement in McClain’s voice as he continued, “This is going to be big, Busta. Even during the Dance Party, we have someone that will be doing interviews while we’re partying as well. The ballroom will be set up in a quad, with a live DJ playing music from the 60s, 70s, 80s and 90s. And even the new hits as well, along with an amazing light show provided by Mr. Bill’s Productions. We’re going to have the very popular line dance instructor Pat Degraffenreidt doing all the old and new line dances with the crowd. This year, we decided to do something very special for our Big 4 Alumni that’s no longer with us.  We’ve prepared a fantastic tribute, along with a special tribute to some of our legendary celebrities that have passed as well. And Busta Brown will be our MC.”

I will be your MC for the evening. I’ll be rocking the mic and keeping you hyped, but I need your help. I want to have the biggest Soul Train line in history, along with the baddest Old School dance contest to ever hit Winston-Salem. When I’m on the mic, it’s a serious “Grown Up, Turn Up.” At 11 o’clock, it’s going to be a countdown as The Big 4 goes into their 26th year.

The 25th Anniversary Dance Party is this Saturday, Oct. 12, at The Embassy Suites Grand Pavilion Ballroom in Winston-Salem, from 8 p.m.-12 midnight. This is a very worthy event to come out and support. The Big 4 is very active in the Winston-Salem/Forsyth County communities.

“This is the only city where four Historically Black High Schools united to form a 501(c)(3) to preserve the legacy of predominately black high schools and also serve the community as well. What we’re doing is very unique,” said Patricia Sadler. “The vision for the 25-year-old organization has always been to serve the community. They do a clothing drive for the unemployed with the Urban League Jobs Program. They provide business clothing so they look professional for job interviews. They partner with the WSPD to provide teddy bears to children whose families were involved in domestic violence. When the police investigate those incidents, they give the children the teddy bears to help relieve the stress or trauma,” Sadler continued.

“They also feed the homeless each year and established a Big 4 endowment at Winston-Salem State University for deserving students that can’t afford tuition.”

This Saturday is truly a party with a purpose. For tickets and more info, call The Big 4 office at 336-521-7680.