Wednesday was the annual Poetry Out Loud competition for the upper school. In classes, students memorize and perform several poems, and then compete with the top public speakers from various classes. Judges evaluate their diction, tone, rhythm, passion, and memory in their performances. First place this year went to freshman Vivian Claire, and second place went to junior Dakota Turnage. Third place went to last year’s winner and citywide champion Felicity Ryan. Vivian performed “Enemies” by Wendell Berry in the first round and “Famous” by Naomi Shihab-Nye. Dakota performed “The Song of the Smoke” by W.E.B. DuBois int he first round and “truth” by Gwendolyn Brooks in the second round. Felicity performed “Time does not bring relief; you all have lied,” by Edna St. Vincent Millay and “The Calm” by Sean O’Brien. The winner will continue on to the citywide competition in March.
For the African American History assembly this year, teachers, students, and musicians worked together to create a memorable morning full of meaningful reflection and inspiring song. Student speakers including seniors Chandler Brossard, Tyrica Miller, and Isaiah Mays reflected on their families’ experiences and their cultural heritage. Upper school student support teacher Mr. Banks spoke about his experiences as a philosophy student at Cornell. Student performers lit up the stage with song and dance. Freshman Kofi McFadgion performed a hip hop dance, the jazz group performed “It Don’t Mean a Thing” by Duke Ellington, the Black Facts Club, a student group advised by Ms. Coleman performed “Lift Every Voice and Sing,” and finally the student Go Go Group performed Adele’s “Hello,” featuring sophomore Ryann Mellion on vocals, junior Duncan Matthews-Cox on piano, and seniors Jaden Gourdine and Rodney Goldring and freshman Jonah Spiva on percussion. The speakers’ words and performers’ passions and the students’ positive energy and respect for each others’ talents lifted every voice and heart in the room.
Our upper school science fair kicked off this week with experiments on memory, research on hand eye coordination and dominance, the impact of technology usage on sleep disruption, and the creation of structures to withstand hurricanes among other projects. The students worked with physics teachers Mr. Torrence and Ms. Shapiro to form hypotheses do background research and design and conduct experiments. They recorded their findings and presented their work using visual graphics and active demonstrations. The science fair welcomed outside judges including former teachers and students and parents and community members who work in the sciences. The winners will attend the city’s STEM competition in the spring.
The middle school Swim Team led by math teacher Ms. Kolb finished the season with a meet at St. Alban’s. Eighth grader Isabel Servaites finished second in the 50 yard Fly and fourth in the 50 yard Breaststroke. Eighth grader Ceyon Young came in 6th in the 100 yard Freestyle. Eighth grader Elizabeth Campbell scored a fifth place finish in the 100 yard IM race. The girls medley relay came in seventh in their race, featuring Servaites, Campbell, Genet Tewalt, and Madison Cerkey-Mcfaddin.
The Great Debaters participated in the WUDL National Qualifier tournament. Eighth graders and Varsity debaters D’Andre Person and Jackson Lewis earned a bid to join the Urban Debate National Championship against urban leagues throughout the nation. Meanwhile novice debaters Dami Akinsanya and Sheridan Easterling took a seventh place win in their division. Other varsity debaters included Maxwell Burton and Aaron Smith who just missed winning a bid to the tournament after a stunningly tense round of debate against their teammates. Other novice debaters who attended include Aaron Gill, Belle Steinberg, Niamh O’Donovan and Amal Buba, Sarah Schifferle and Alice Pittard, Lena Webb and Brooke Roberson, Ahmad West-Bey and Mayowa Akinsanya. The team has three more tournaments and the national tournament will be in April at Hardy Middle School.
