As Homestead-Miami Speedway prepares to host NASCAR’s championship races in all three national series for the 16th consecutive year, it is also continuing its commitment of helping kids excel in the classroom. This school year, kids will put pen to paper and compose poems as part of the second annual “Write Track Poetry” competition. The Speedway and the Omari Hardwick bluapple Poetry Network of the Jason Taylor Foundation are partnering with Miami-Dade County Public Schools to hold the contest.
The goal of “Write Track Poetry” is to promote school-wide interest in creative writing and literacy through poetry with a focus on a NASCAR theme. This year, students from 13 Miami-Dade County middle schools will submit a poem based on the topic, What is Your Legacy?
As part of this year’s competition, the top three poetry pieces in each grade (6-8) from all 13 schools will be awarded two tickets to the NASCAR XFINITY Series Ford EcoBoost 300 championship race at Homestead-Miami Speedway on Saturday, November 18, 2017. The school with the highest percentage of participation will receive a donation from Homestead-Miami Speedway’s charitable outreach program, “Driving for a Cause.”
“Last year, the ‘Write Track Poetry’ program saw a great deal of success, providing kids a platform to express themselves in a form of art,” said Homestead-Miami Speedway President Matthew Becherer. “Poetry is an impactful instructional tool in the classroom that helps students build upon their creative skills, while also expanding their cultural horizons. We are excited that NASCAR and Homestead-Miami Speedway can be a part of their conversation.”
“”We are thrilled to see significant growth in the Write Track Poetry program in just its second year,” said Seth Levit, executive director of the Jason Taylor Foundation. “There is nothing more powerful than witnessing young people come alive as they begin to feel validation in their uniquely personal stories and experiences. The fact that this validation is coming from institutions like Miami-Dade County Public Schools and the Homestead-Miami Speedway is priceless for these students.”
Of the 13 schools, the top-three poets overall will have the unique opportunity to be driven to school in the Homestead-Miami Speedway Official Pace Car. At the conclusion of the competition, one of those top-three poets will be given the chance to have their piece professionally recorded/produced and played prior to the start of the Ford EcoBoost 300.
The following schools will be participating in the program:
· Air Base K-8 Center
· Arthur & Polly Mays Conservatory of the Arts
· Campbell Drive K-8 Center
· Caribbean K-8 Center
· Coconut Palm K-8 Academy
· Gateway Environmental K-8 Learning Center
· Irving & Beatrice Peskoe K-8 Center
· Kenwood K-8 Center
· Leewood K-8 Center
· Leisure City K-8 Center
· Mandarin Lakes K-8 Academy
· Redland Middle School
· Richmond Heights Middle School
Each of the 13 schools will be holding pep rallies. The following are confirmed pep rallies with dates and times as follows:
Gateway Environmental K-8 Learning Center – Thursday, Sept. 28 at 8:45 a.m.
(955 SE 18 Ave., Homestead, FL 33035)
Kenwood K-8 Center – Friday, Sept. 29 at 8:45 a.m.
(9300 SW 79 Ave., Miami, FL 33156)
Leewood K-8 Center – Friday, Sept. 29 at 2:00 p.m.
(10343 SW 124th St., Miami 33176)
Arthur & Poly Mays Conservatory of the Arts – Thursday, October 5 at 9:30 a.m.
(11700 SW 216th St., Goulds 33170)
Richmond Heights Middle School – Friday, Oct. 6 at 9:30 a.m.
(15015 SW 103rd Ave., Miami, FL 33176)
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