Saturday, March 16, students, families, friends and fans of the spoken word gathered for the 4th annual Words on Fire Festival. The festival included the city finals for Poetry Out Loud and the city’s slam poetry finalists from across six schools, including KIPP DC College Preparatory (KCP).
Patrick Wu, College & Career Counselor, shared “I am proud to add that KCP had the most students represented at the event (four) and the most that placed in the top three in all the categories (three), which I think is a testament to our students and their hard work in making KCP one of the best communities to practice poetry in the city.”
The event kicked off with Poetry Out Loud and Trinity McMillan, representing KCP for the second consecutive year. With grace and passion, Trinity delivered three stirring rounds of performances, earning her a well-deserved second place.
The Words on Fire Poetry Slam followed suit, with KCP’s ChaMel Wellington, Jurnee Keitt, and Keith Harris taking the spotlight, sharing their stories, dreams, and fears through the art of spoken word.
Jurnee Keitt fearlessly tackled themes of body image and self-love in “Tall Girl in the DMV,” before delving into the excitement and hope found in new love with “Her.”
ChaMel’s poignant piece “Stargazer” and commentary on gun violence in “Who Wins?” earned her 3rd place.
Keith Harris, whose powerful voice resonated during the fall’s “Enough” play, continued to captivate with his piece “Do You Hear Me?” and the evocative “Silent Hallways?” He achieved second place in the competition.
Reflecting on this year’s event and the power of poetry, Patrick Wu remarked, “What’s great about poetry is that it gives our students a creative and healthy outlet to express themselves. It challenges them to be authentic and vulnerable.”
Learn more about the high school experience at KCP and enrollment in KCP or other KIPP DC Schools.
