As Homestead-Miami Speedway prepares to host NASCAR’s championship races for the 17th consecutive year, it is also getting ready for another competition being held off the track.
Homestead-Miami Speedway and the Omari Hardwick bluapple Poetry Network of the Jason Taylor Foundation are partnering with Miami-Dade County Public Schools to hold the third annual “Write Track Poetry” competition.
The “Write Track Poetry” program is designed to promote school-wide interest in creative writing and literacy through poetry, with a focus on a NASCAR theme. Earlier this year, the Jason Taylor Foundation received the Institution Award at the 2018 NASCAR Drive for Diversity Awards for their efforts in exposing minorities to motorsports through “Write Track Poetry.”
The foundation, along with Homestead-Miami Speedway will again be introducing spoken word poetry to Miami-Dade County middle schools this fall. Students from participating schools will submit a poem based on the topic, What does winning look like?
As part of this year’s competition, the top three poetry pieces in each grade (6-8) from each of the schools will be awarded two tickets to the Monster Energy NASCAR Cup Series Ford EcoBoost 400 championship race at Homestead-Miami Speedway on Sunday, November 18, 2018. In addition, the top student overall will have their piece professionally filmed.
“The ‘Write Track Poetry’ program has given South Florida’s youth a creative way to express themselves,” said Homestead-Miami Speedway President Matthew Becherer. “Poetry and creative writing are important educational tools that help children develop both inside and outside the classroom. As this program continues to grow, Homestead-Miami Speedway is excited to see the profound impact the program has in the community and on the future of our youth.”
“The consistent growth of Write Track Poetry is a testament to the value of this program in the Miami-Dade community,” said Marnino Toussaint, Jason Taylor Foundation Youth Engagement Coordinator. “This work is so much bigger than a poem, a track, or a competition. The direct impact Write Track is having on our students academically, emotionally, and professionally extends far beyond numbers, and I see this firsthand each time I step into a classroom or auditorium. The Jason Taylor Foundation is thrilled to partner with Homestead-Miami Speedway for a third consecutive year to continue to provide this unique programming.”
The following schools will be holding pep rallies to kick off Write Track Poetry. Any media interested in covering any of the pep rallies should contact Neal Gulkis, Stephanie Gonzalez-Solis or Andrew Devlin prior to attending.
Leisure City K-8 Center Friday, Sept. 14 at 8:35 a.m.
(14950 SW 288 St., Homestead, FL 33033)
Arthur & Polly Mays Conservatory of the Arts Friday, Sept. 14 at 1:00 p.m.
(11700 SW 216 St., Goulds, FL 33170)
Frank Crawford Martin K-8 Center Tuesday, Sept. 18 at 8:45 a.m.
(14250 Boggs Dr., Miami, FL 33176)
Gateway Environmental K-8 Learning Center Thursday, Sept. 20 at 8:45 a.m.
(955 SE 18 Ave., Homestead, FL 33035)
Homestead Middle School Thursday, Sept. 20 at 1:00 p.m.
(650 NW 2 Ave., Homestead, FL 33030)
West Homestead K-8 Center Thursday, Sept. 20 at 2:30 p.m.
(1550 SW 6 St., Homestead, FL 33030)
Richmond Heights Middle School Friday, Sept. 21 at 9:30 a.m.
(15015 SW 103 Ave., Miami, FL 33176)
Vineland K-8 Center Friday, Sept. 21 at 2:00 p.m.
(8455 SW 119 St., Miami, FL 33156)
Homestead-Miami Speedway PR
