As July gets closer and the school year comes to a close, LOUD students, armed with sponsorship packets, hit the streets to seek support from their hometown. In case you have been living under a rock for the past few months, LOUD, an acronym that stands for Living Out Ur Dreams, is a local 501c3 organization utilizing media arts and performance slam style poetry, during after school hours, to focus teens on three components of success: academic achievement, holistic development and violence prevention.
Jamila Alston, a 17-year-old junior at Beaufort High School, is a native of St. Helena Island with deep Gullah roots and wings carved from ambition. “I know I am meant for something great, someday I will own my own school,” Jamila stated after being asked where she sees herself 10 years from now.
Jamila, a member of the LOUD Slam Team, prides herself on her strong intellect both when it comes to books and common sense. While she studies AP Latin and takes Honors Math courses, she plans to apply for the Gates Millennium Scholarship next year as a senior to help her pay for college in fall 2013. She is currently in the process of completing her application to New York University (NYU), her first school of choice.
Jamila is also an accomplished slam poet, having been introduced to the craft the summer of 2009 when she joined the LOUD Program (www.livingouturdreams.org). This summer, Jamila and her fellow Slam Team mates will travel to San Francisco, Ca., where they have been invited to compete on HBO’s “Brave New Voices,” the nation’s largest youth slam competition featuring teams from all over the United States and several different countries.
In order to participate, however, LOUD students must get to San Francisco, Ca. They began fundraising in April, seeking $20 from 500 givers upon receiving notice that they were selected to compete. Last week LOUD partnered with Main Street Beaufort, USA acting as servers for their first Supper Society fundraiser.
The LOUD Slam Team is still seeking approximately $7,500 to reach its goal of getting all five Slam Team members to San Francisco for the weeklong event.
Remember that every little bit helps in the quest for these students to live out their dreams! For more information about how to donate or sponsor a student, visit www.livingouturdreams.org.