You're a poet, and you know it.
You know you’re a bonafied poet when you’re invited to the White House to recite your work in front of the First Lady of the United States and your peers.
You know you’re a bonafied poet when you’re invited to the White House to recite your work in front of the First Lady of the United States and your peers.
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| First Lady Michelle Obama recognizes the 2016 Class of National Student Poet with poetic snaps. (Photo/CD Brown). |
“If you ever wonder if what we do makes a difference, it does", she said.
This year’s class consisted of a diverse group of tenth and
eleven graders representing the mid, south, north, and western regions of the
United States.
WATCH Alumni: 2015 Class of National Student Poets
Maya Eashwaran of Georgia reflected in her poem, Linquistics, on what it
means to be Indian in an American culture.
“I've started shedding ethnicity like hair, she read. "Mother, I fear I may go bald".
Eashwaran said she wrote her poem when she realized she was speaking more English than her mother tongue. “The thing that caught me was how much I was losing a part of my culture”, she said.
Eashwaran said she wrote her poem when she realized she was speaking more English than her mother tongue. “The thing that caught me was how much I was losing a part of my culture”, she said.
The ceremony was also graced by poet/rapper Q-Tip, who is famously known
for his 1990's song, Vivrant Thing. He read from a poem he had
written for the occasion, reflective of poetic greats - past and present.
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| Rapper/poet Q-Tip speaks during the 2016 Class of National Student Poets ceremony. (Photo/CD Brown.) |
“Hughes, Hurston,
Giovanni, Poe, Rakim. Yes, your favorites [and] never-heard-of's soon to be
loved and studied stood here in Recognition Hall; they danced and moved”, he read.
So ‘moved’ were the first lady and members of the audience that NBC News anchor
Harry Smith called the event, “humbling.”
Maryland poet Joey Reisberg couldn’t have imagined that his poetry would have landed him at the
White House.
SEE ALSO: White House Poetry/Spoken Word Jam
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| 2016 NSP, Joey Reisberg (Photo/CD Brown.) |
The NSPP, in partnership with the President's Committee on the Arts and Humanities, the Institute of Museum and Library Services, and the
nonprofit Alliance for Young Artists and Writers, strives to inspire young
people to achieve excellence in their own creative endeavors and promotes the
essential role of writing and the arts in academic and personal success.
Poets are selected from a pool of National Medalists in
Poetry through the Scholastic Art & Writing Awards. From this pool 35
semi-finalists are selected based on creativity, dedication to craft and
promise. Winners receive $5,000 in
academic awards. The Class of 2016 was appointed by Mrs. Obama.
To learn more about this year's Class of the 'Poetic Five' click here. Click on a photo to begin gallery.
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| NSP Alumni |
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| 2016 Class of NSP (L to R) Stella Binion, Joey Reisberg, Maya Salameh, Maya Eashwaran, and Gopal Raman |
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| 2016 NSP program attendees |
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| First lady having fun with the 2016 Class of NSP |
NOTE: 'Poetic Five' moniker and photos by CD Brown
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