Nothing but bravery and inspiration at 20th Annual Eastside Poetry Slam!

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ICYMI: Westside Slam! recap

Bravery.

It is a word we don’t use that often anymore, but Uniyah C., a 10-year-old, reminded us of it Thursday night.

It is the best thing I know
It helps you stay confident when you’re down and sad.
Bravery helps you to believe in yourself when nobody else will.
Having bravery will not allow yourself to give up or have any letdowns.

Uniyah’s Shine Award-winning poem (best individual performance) came during the second of 22 school performances Thursday night at H.D. Woodson. It set the stage for much more courage, as kids as young as 8 delivered one powerful performance after another. Memorized. Choreographed. And performed with passion.

Thank you, Uniyah, for reminding us, for reminding the capacity audience, that doing such a thing takes great bravery. There’s no doubt about that.

“So everyone, stand up, put a first in the air and show everyone how brave we are,” she concluded her poem.

Not one person in the building stayed seated. Fists were raised. And the Eastside Slam! REALLY got going.

Speaking of commitment, DC SCORES’ poets could probably fix our country’s problems today. In place of complaining poems (an easy thing to do in 2017!), there were myriad solution poems. Kids celebrated the present while predicting the future, their future, where they’ll be in 10 years.

There was KIPP Quest, stepping up to the microphone in three different groups — the classes of 2025, 2026 and 20w7.

Dear future me
It’s 2027 you see
So, take a look at me
I’m finishing up at KCP
It’s off to college for me to
Howard
UCLA
Spellman
Moorehouse
and…

Speaking of leadership…

I wish that nobody had to live on the streets or be empty-handed
I wish I had enough money to build a new school to help students get better
I wish that all DC Public Schools were bully free
I wish I could help homeless people find jobs so they can provide for themselves

Those were the wise words of Turner Elementary, but the theme carried on throughout the night. Everyone took the lead in picturing better lives — not just for themselves but for others. That’s a pretty incredible sentiment coming from third- fourth- and fifth-graders.

But then again, this is the 12th week of the DC SCORES season. TLC is everywhere. Next to the drinking fountain before the Slam!, a kid from Imagine Hope Tolson said, “You know what? It doesn’t matter if we win or lose. Let’s just have fun.” And that’s what everyone did even if their team didn’t rush the stage at night’s end for a picture with D.C. United’s Talon.

When emcee extraordinaire Charity Blackwell asked for examples of sportsmanship before the show, a kid five rows back raised his hand and eloquently explained the importance of respecting the other team, your teammates, the referee (in soccer), your coaches, the field and yourself. We couldn’t have said it better.

Teamwork. Leadership. Commitment.

TLC was on display all night, and students brought it under the bright lights one performance after another — bravery undressed and brilliant for all eyes to see.

Elementary Schools
1st place – Aiton Elementary School
2nd place – KIPP QUEST Academy
3rd place – Amidon Elementary School
Spirit Award – Burrville Elementary School
Shine Award – Uniyah C., Miner Elementary School

Middle Schools
1st place – Kelly Miller Middle School
2nd place – Jefferson Middle School
3rd place – KIPP KEY Academy
Spirit Award – Hart Middle School
Shine Award – Jermoni B. & Kenniyah C., KIPP KEY