Local leaders take part in Black history program at Fred Thomas
Students from the Frederick D. Thomas Middle School Junior Justice League recently organized a Black history program featuring guest speakers Bill Collick and Janet Maull-Martin.
Sharing personal reflections about growing up in Lewes, Collick and Maull-Martin offered firsthand insight into their experiences as African American students during segregation and integration. Responding to questions thoughtfully prepared by the Junior Justice League, the guests discussed their school years, the challenges and triumphs they encountered, and their memories as former students of Lewes educator Frederick D. Thomas. They also emphasized the deep significance behind the middle school’s naming, highlighting Thomas’s lasting influence as a principal, mentor and community leader.
After 43 years in education, Collick retired in June 2018 from the Cape Henlopen district, ending his career as the Cape High football coach and dean of students. Earlier in his career, he taught at Rehoboth Elementary, then coached football at Delaware State University for nearly 20 years, where he amassed the most coaching wins in football history and served as director of athletics. Having first been elected to the Cape district school board in 2019, he continues to serve on the board today.
A member of the first graduating class of Cape Henlopen High School in 1970, Maull-Martin spent her entire educational career working within Cape schools, serving as a teacher, Title One coordinator, assistant principal and principal in more than 35 years with the district. She retired in 2014, and served as an elected representative on the Cape school board from 2019 to 2024.
The presentation also connected local history to the national milestone of America’s 250th anniversary this year, recognizing Lewes’s significance as the First Town in the First State. Students learned how their community’s story is intertwined with the broader story of the nation, and how African American voices and experiences are an essential part of that history.
“This presentation was an extraordinary opportunity for our students to connect personally with the history that shaped our school and our community,” said Elyse Baerga, Frederick D. Thomas Middle School principal. “Hearing Mr. Bill Collick and Mrs. Janet Maull-Martin share their lived experiences made the history real and deeply meaningful. Their reflections, along with the leadership of our Junior Justice League, remind us that the story of Lewes, Delaware, is inseparable from the voices and contributions of African Americans who helped shape it. We are proud to honor the legacy of Mr. Frederick D. Thomas and to continue fostering a school community rooted in respect, understanding and the power of shared stories.”
