CLEVELAND — 3News anchor and reporter Carmen Blackwell will share the stage with a talented fifth-grade poet on Thursday, June 9, as they co-emcee America SCORES Cleveland’s Red Carpet Poetry SLAM event at Ariel International Center in Cleveland.
Carmen’s co-emcee will be a 5th grader named Angela from Warner Girls Leadership Academy in Cleveland. Angela just completed her first year participating in the America SCORES program and wrote an award-winning poem that she performed virtually in April at the SCORES national competition.
Founded in 2004, America SCORES Cleveland offers free afterschool programming to Cleveland Metropolitan School District students in 1st through 8th grades. Its unique program introduces students to athletic training in soccer and also creative writing and service learning.
SCORES poet-athletes will take center stage at the Red-Carpet Poetry SLAM fundraiser, performing their poetry in front of a live audience. Attendees can expect to hear poems on social justice issues, soccer, and experiences these students have in school.
“A part of our goal is teaching kids how to express themselves through writing while also advocating for their community, for themselves and for their schools,” said Executive Director Alison Black during a We The People interview. “We are a free afterschool program for kids who need it the most in underserved or under-resourced communities. So, it is really important for kids to learn how to write but also learn the health aspects of being a part of soccer.”
For more details on the Red Carpet event and silent auction, visit https://americascorescleveland.org/events/.