Coast to Coast -- Look out NY!

Very soon our America SCORES Seattle Poetry Slam finalists board a plane that will take them (on their first flight) to the National Slam in NYC! Congratulations to Kendin and Shukria! We borrowed some of their rehearsal time to conduct a short interview:  

Meet Kendin, a fifth grade student, he is a leader on his team and his teammates hold his poetry in high esteem. He is a big help to his family, and his poetry is often about them. “I look up to my mom, because even though she’s blind she never gives up and I think that she’ll be a great role model for me when I get older.” His poem “What’s Within Me” is an inspiring poem about what motivates him, “a family that I love” and confirms he’s “a boy who will lead.”

Talk to us about SCORES
Kendin thinks SCORES will help in the future should he pursue soccer or being author he can reflect back on his time in SCORES and know that he must work hard. The opportunity to go to New York in his own words, “will benefit my life by being able to think of how I’ve accomplished something and maybe if I can keep on doing that then  I can actually get somewhere in my life." Kendin’s favorite parts of SCORES are doing things with friends, being able to be watched by family, “accomplishing [his] goals of being part of a community.”

Meet Shukria, a fifth grade student who comes from a large family, one of six children. She looks up to her Mom who she says “cares about everyone equally” and she hopes “I can become a mother like that.” She is an encouraging teammate and a gifted poet. Rich Martin a judge from Seattle’s poetry slam raved, “Lyrical Genius! Deep understanding of writing and her message.” Her poem “Crazy” is a rhythmic and creative demonstration of fantasy and figurative language, “Imagine a boat replaced my head, drowning in my thoughts right before bed.”

Talk to us about SCORES
What Shukria values most about SCORES are the friendships she has made. She is a little nervous about performing in New York but looks forward to the experience and hopes she will learn new things on that adventure. Her future dreams include being a doctor or being a poet, perhaps even both!

GOOD LUCK!!