2012 Poetry Slam! video of the week: J.C. Nalle Elementary School

 

NOTE: Each week, we are featuring a school's performance from the 15th Annual DC SCORES Poetry Slam!, the largest youth slam in the District! During the two-night culminating event of the fall season -- held Nov. 28 at Columbia Heights Education Campus and Nov. 29 at H.D. Woodson High School -- 35 schools had the opportunity to perform original group and solo poems and songs in front of their peers, families and community members. At the end of each night, teams were called back up on stage to receive trophies.

We hope you enjoy this glimpse into the self-expression DC SCORES instills in youth. 

On the second night of the Slam!, the J.C. Nalle Elementary School Eagles put on a show for the ages -- winning the Golden Mic trophy for elementary schools with a performance that belied their rookie status on the stage at H.D. Woodson High School.

Decked out in brightly colored shirts of different colors, the Eagles' performance was dedicated to presidents past and future. They began with an ode to former U.S. presidents, with one student after another grabbing hold of the microphone and speaking about the impact FDR, Abraham Lincoln, George H. Bush, Barack Obama and other presidents have made.

Then the students took turns speaking about what they would do if president.

"I would make healthy food cheaper and bad foods more expensive so the average American can live longer," one student said. 

Another spoke about the importance of curbing pollution, stating, "No one should have to breathe in unclean air."

The amazing debut performance for the Eagles was capped off by a solo poem inspired by Lincoln and Martin Luther King Jr.

To view any performance from the Poetry Slam!, visit the DC SCORES YouTube page.