>> Hello, I'm Furman Fortner, and I'm excited to be your host for this special episode.

We're happy to bring you the SCETV Simile Slam hosted at League Academy in Greenville, South Carolina.

Last year, we put out a call asking educators to submit proposals for teaching poetry using the PBS documentary, Muhammad Ali and his six core principles for living, which are confidence, conviction, dedication, giving, respect and spirituality.

The winning school was asked to host a poetry slam featuring similes to the tune of float like a butterfly, sting like a bee.

We are incredibly proud of the poetry shared by League Academy students and appreciate the efforts of their teacher Ms. Sarah Monson and teaching artist, Kimberly Simmons Gibbs.

Before we get started with the slam, let's hear from the leader of League, Principal Mary Leslie Anderson and her team.

League Academy is a middle school for the Communication Arts in Greenville, South Carolina.

We sit right outside of downtown Greenville, and serve the downtown population as well as the outskirts of the downtown population.

We serve 776 students, and, in grades six through eight.

Some of our students have applied to come here, probably about a third, and the rest of the students are sitting in our attendance area.

So come here.

Our magnet school is not just for those students who apply to come here.

All of our students get the opportunity to be involved in our magnet, which is the communication arts.

As a Communication Arts School, we have an art department that is phenomenal, and in conjunction with our communications department.

So, both kind of come together to fuel the Communication Arts.

Not only are students able to get those Classes, they also receive Arts and Communication integration within all of their classes.

So, their academic classes include English, Math, Science, and Social Studies, and we integrate the arts communication, literacy and technology into all of those classes.

>> I really like the arts integration.

So, it makes our classes a lot more interesting, because instead of just having regular like paperwork every single day, there's different kinds of art that can be incorporated into those classes, and that also has to do with the teaching.

So, the fun projects that our teachers come up with us to do.

>> We have options of dance and theater and orchestra and band and not every single school gets to have that choice.

>> Something I really like about League Academy is that once you're in eighth grade, you can take two advanced related arts, which means that all the best people for that, like activity are in there.

So, I'm an advanced theater and advanced chorus.

There are different trips and like activities that come with your own classes.

So like chorus band and orchestra are all going to Disney world to perform, which is super fun, and we'll perform at different places throughout the year.

>> We've been at ABC school since 2016.

That's where we get our funding to do what we do and go above and beyond in the integration of arts and communication.

>> My mother was a teacher and so, she modeled good teaching in our home and in the classroom for years for me, and that got into my brain.

The rest is history.

I've been loving kids here at League Academy.

This is year 37.

So, I love this Place, and it's my heart.

It's just part of me.

Kimberly Sims>>I've actually been working with Ms. Monson since 2016.

I'm the Director of Education for the Metropolitan Arts Council, where we have a program called Smart Arts and that is an arts integration program that sends - We have about 20 different artists that we send into schools across Greenville County.

The teachers and the artists meet at a summer training, and they all receive a week of training in arts integration, and then on the last day of the training, they're paired teacher and artist and actually, get to sit down for a few hours and plan out their unit for the year.

So, it's different than a normal residency.

In a normal residency, the artists just kind of comes and does their lesson that they always Do, whereas with the Smart Arts program, that artist is tailoring their lesson to meet that teacher's specific curriculum, and II actually had a residency plan with Ms. Monson for the spring to do a poetry slam, and when we found out about the opportunity with SCETV to do a Simile Slam, it just sounded super fun.

So, we decided to go ahead and move the residency up to the fall.and Ms. Monson and I did some planning and a lot of support from League Academy and Ms. Anderson, and it was really just an exciting opportunity to shine a light on the amazing talent that we have in these students in the upstate of South Carolina, because we're definitely super proud of them and everything they bring.

Ms. Monson>> As soon as I saw that Kimberly Gibbs, the director of Smart Arts in Greenville was willing to - what did she say make a go of it, if anyone was interested, I was like, okay, I think we'll try this.

She and I have worked together for years.

Smart Arts is such a wonderful, wonderful opportunity in our community, and the artists come in year after year, and they present these beautiful lessons, and you teach together, side by side.

You come up with the units, and so, it was something that was not unfamiliar to either one of us.

She's conducted.

She's emceed many poetry slams for us here.

We looked at those core principles, and they are so broad.

I mean, almost everybody has conviction.

A lot of these children have a confidence... spirituality is one of them, dedication, there's so many of those concepts that almost you're going to hit them no matter what you write, Kimberly has just magic vehicles like simile generators that she used with them, and of course, we had to tell a few simile jokes along the way to get them all revved up and with the performance piece, she came back and we just kept on working on poise, voice, life, eye contact, gestures and speed and so we really practiced a lot with all of those concepts.

It was kind of like hand in glove, actually.

It was just a beautiful, wonderful experience and I just appreciate the opportunity to help our kids shine.

That's what we're all about, League Academy.

Kimberly Sims>> Welcome everybody to the South Carolina ETV Simile Poetry slam, inspired by the Muhammad Ali series.

My name is Kimberly Sims and we're coming to you live from League Academy in Greenville, South Carolina.

Give them a round of applause, everybody.

(applause) League Academy.

(applause continues) The poetry slam is a competition invented in 1980 by a Chicago construction worker named Mark Smith.

All> So what?

>> In which performed poetry was judged by five randomly chosen members of the audience who may or may not know anything about poetry, but they know what speaks to their heart, and they know what moves them.

Each poet will have three minutes to perform one poem of their own original construction, no props, no costume, no musical accompaniment.

Now you can sing but you cannot bring your ukulele with you.

Each poem will be scored by our panel of judges from a scale of zero to 10, zero being the worst poem they've ever heard in their lives all the way up to the I'm just going crazy, 10, 10, 10.

Judges, please use one decimal place 8.9, 9.2, 9.4 because these slams are often won or lost by .1 points.

Okay, so judges you're going to be thinking about qualities such as performance, content and originality and we implore you to remain consistent with yourself.

Give the poem the score that you think it deserves and do not be influenced by the audience or the judges.

Audience, influence them.

Make sure that you're cheering for each other, because that is how we kind of get the energy up in the room and like make us kind of live on that air and that energy of each other.

So, we're definitely getting lots of rounds of applause and so, final note - poets, you must check your ego at the door, and finally, we are just here to have fun, and to have a good time today and I'm so excited to hear all of your poetry.

So let's get ourselves one more round of applause.

(applause) Okay, now are you guys ready to start the poetry slam?

All>> Yes!

Are you guys ready for the poetry slam?

(cheering) >> ...we're actually not, because metaphorical blood has not been spilled on the stage yet.

The poetry gods demand a sacrifice and what that means is that we need a poet to help our judges get warmed up because they've never done this before.

So please put your hands together for your very own teacher Ms. Monson.

(applause) >> Little Martha, five feet and three inches of towering our support your every dream love, and do it now strength.

Encourage her, like no other, angel on this earth at your upright piano, the green dining room corner, your concert hall, playing for your Savior, and communing with him all the while.

Kitchen magician opening your knotted pine cabinets on your back porch freezer, concocting meals out of thin air, platters of homemade french fries at midnight, or whenever they were needed.

Lacing wafers, oatmeal treats, miniature pancakes for Barbie so she could be my guest and gravy, that was always good.

I love you.

I love you.

These words cannot be denied.

Best friend riding with me through my dark nights, Midnight runs in little bit, heart breaking with mine as you help me chase and then say goodbye to some dreams, not meant to be, listening always to your girl size and wishes, maybe over a game of spades in the living room, or gazing out the back kitchen window at the moon.

A beautiful soul at your kitchen prayer table, standing in the gap daily for all of us.

Bookshelves bending under the weight of inspiration, bibles poised and ready.

Introduce her to the binder of wounds.

Rock of Ages.

finish her distance goer, one who wins.

Godly and giving speaker for the downtrodden always on mission for someone, somewhere, modeling your faith and bringing down the moon for us.

Those who knew you will never be the same.

Your impact continues to shape us five foot three inches of towering I'll support your every dream love and do it now screaming.

Encourage her... like no other.

(applause) Okay...so here we go on the count of three let's see what we have for Ms. Monson.

One, two and three.

Raise them up.

We have from low to high.

We have an 8.6.

(moan) We have a 9.8.

We have a 9.9.

We have another 9.9, and we have a 10.

(applause) Thank you Ms. Monson, a 29.6 that's a really good start to the poetry slam.

Are you guys ready to start the slam?

All>> Yeah!

(cheering) All right, here we go.

I say poetry You say yeah.

Poetry >> Yeah >> Poetry >>Yeah Put your hands together for Malachi (applause) >> The news, I sit on my bed scrolling.

I focused on the words like a hawk locating its prey.

Tap, tap, tap.

I read more and more, my head is in processing the phrases.

only pick-pocketing a few charges dropped, family left in shambles.

Don't shoot.

Good American just doing his job.

Hero.

body cam footage refused to be released.

Tap, tap, tap.

I sit on my bed scrolling.

The news takes a dive as if it could not get any more worse, the words prove that statement wrong like the world's best lawyer.

The sentences stop sticking to me like dried up glue, but the phrases paint a very good picture.

A man stopped on the side of the road.

Shot twice.

No gun in car.

No drugs in car.

Officer was just spooked will continue to control the streets, seems suspicious.

No criminal record not taken to court.

I keep reading and reading, but then my phone dies.

The blue light going into my eyes dissipates.

I go to bed sad and cold, but covered with blankets and pillows.

The news fills my head like a rich glass of champagne, melancholy.

I lay still but the images are still burns in my eyes.

One day things may be different, but the day is not today.

(applause) Kimberly Sims>> All right, judges and remember judges you don't clap, you score.

We're going to keep this show moving along here.

So, on the count of three, let's see what we have for Malachi.

Here we go one, two and three, raise them up for me.

We have from... low to high, We have a 9.3.

We have a 9.4.

We have a 9.6.

We have another 9.6, and we have a 9.6.

Great score for our first poet.

(applause) That gives Malachi a 28.6 Please clap for the poet and I keep on clapping for the next poet, Fiona.

(applause) (applause) Fiona>> America the Beautiful.

Inequality infects our nation like the oil that swells in our reefs and the trash that suffocates our streets.

The pigment that uncontrollably burns through our bodies, like a perfected pink color that could never be manufactured again, vandalized dating back to the origin of our country's foundation.

The organs we were given or destined to have, are abandoned to determine what we can't and can do.

Like a rule book engineered by a hostile society.

The beliefs we have every right to believe, are taken and judged by any and every human who sees us like a predator out for prey.

The dress code created by the sexualizations of our bodies, the sexualization that thrives in the minds of our culture.

The freedom of choice to or do not bear children is taken by the population that decided their controversy was more upstanding than what they pledged their allegiance to.

The pressure of loving who society tells you to love, strangles the body until it can't take it anymore.

Our nation's anatomy is ruined by our own creations in greed, like paper chucked in a shredder.

The lies that hug us in protection of what our country truly is, surrounds the layout of what we've been taught since birth.

The disappearance of equality in which our constitution wants promised, the promise we recite every day, for liberty, and justice for all, melts away until the river of mistakes that can't be disrupted until the people of America play nice and turn the promise into a reality.

(applause) Kimberly Sims>> Judges, man the judges have a tough job today.

Okay, all right judges, here we go.

One, Two, Three.

Raise them up.

What do we have for our second poet.

We have from low to high.

We have a 9.4.

We have a 9.7.

We have another 9.7, and we have a 9.8 and another 9.8.

That's a great score.

(applause) That's 29.2 for Fiona.

Keep your hands clapping for Sara.

(applause) Sara>> Color poem, a strong conviction that something must be done is apparent of many bad measures.

Daniel Webster, there, conviction, holding your beliefs can be actually, like the stench of grief.

The effect of opinion damages like a wounding soul, oozes like a brooding home, stepping outside being black, brown or yellow fear of the street, stepping outside with a color on our skin, conviction is all that it takes to end it all.

A life being black, brown or yellow.

Conviction, the wise and heroic word, the strength that takes to achieve that's what they say but they don't see that close mindedness is like a disease spreading in sprees.

The fear dreading on the streets is all we need being black, brown or yellow anything but the bare color begging for free.

(applause) Kimberly Sims>> Okay judges.

All of them are so good.

Okay, here we go.

One, two, and three raise them up.

What do we have for our poet?

We have from low to high.

We have a 9.6.

We have a 9.7.

We have another 9.7.

We have a 9.9 and we got our first 10 today.

(applause) That's a 29.3 Keep your hands clapping for Andrew.

(applause continues) >> Ideas are like a baseball, you can either hit or miss.

Ideas or like a sunset.

They can be amazing.

If you're able to look at things and think how could this be better?

Ideas are like experimenting in the kitchen.

If you're not careful.

It's bad.

Ideas are like a golf swing.

If you have a bad follow through, it doesn't work.

If you get stuck on a bad idea, you can fall.

Ideas are like gold, good in value, but value creates greed.

Ideas are like features in a song feature the right people and the song is lifted.

If you're careful with your ideas, share them with the right people.

It is improved.

Ideas are like a storm cloud is to lightning without the cloud.

No spark.

Ideas are like a key to unlock great things.

Without ideas, nothing would be like it is.

Ideas make everything happen.

Ideas are like a skit.

You may think it's cringy, but it has value.

Ideas are like a joke.

Share it to the wrong crowd.

It gets no laughs.

If people laugh at your ideas, think about what makes the idea good because it has value.

Ideas are like a ripple or a tsunami.

They can have a big or little effect.

Ideas are like a light bulb, the change in brightness can be dramatic.

No matter how small your ideas are, they have an effect.

The truth is, ideas have an effect if you even if you do not believe that your ideas could change the world.

(applause) Kimberly Sims>> Thank you Andrew.

Okay judges.

Here we go.

These judges are working hard today.

On the count of three.

One, two and three Raise them up Let's see what we have for Andrew.

We have from low to high.

Felix is that a 9?

>> Yeah.

>> Okay, we have a 9.

We have a 9.3.

We have a 9.4.

We have a 9.5 and a 9.6.

That's a great score for 28.2.

(applause) Give it up for Andrew one more time, everybody.

Let's give it up for Jillian up here on stage.

(applause) Jillian>> In between the lines.

She never really knew where she belonged.

She walked through the halls like a burning flame in the middle of an ocean of calmness.

She tried to replicate herself out of fear that they don't like her.

The perfectly uniformed girls stared at her perfectly dark chocolate skin like lions, waiting to pounce.

Judgment comes away like a flying bullet ready to hit her chest, to crawl into her sleeves like a turtle, crawling into its shell.

She was as quiet as a tranquil sky.

She wandered around the halls like a helpless infant waiting to be swaddled by its mother.

She's scared, as if she was in her worst nightmare.. She craves to be loved and admired by the perfect girls.

The big city feels even bigger.

Her exploding raging thoughts had to be let out.

She towered over the Mean Girls and let her thoughts escape her like a roaring lion, their cheeks turned rosy red.

They now crave to be her.

The strong courageous girl that she once dreamed of being, slowly molding into, she is now.

She now stands out in a way she desires.

Her smile, she's now proud of.

She's her own dream.

Proud of her skin.

Proud of her bravery.

It takes courage to realize being in between lines isn't always a bad thing.

(applause) Kimberly Sims>> Okay, judges.

Here we go.

All right, judges.

Thank you so much.

Here we go, on the count of three, One, two and three.

Let's see what we have for our poet, Jillian.

We have from low to high.

We have a 9.2 We have a 9.4.

We have another 9.4.

We have a 9.5 and another 9.5.

That's a great score for Jillian everybody.

(applause) That's a 28.3.

I say poetry.

You say yeah.

Poetry.

>> Yeah >> Poetry.

>> Yeah.

>> Coming up next is Adam.

(applause) >> Many are shunned.

Many are disgraced.

They're buried due to firm belief that they're inferior, their value cheap as dirt.

Take those for example.

Take for example, those with great wealth.

They keep to themselves in satisfaction of a life well lived.

Those less fortunate aren't happy with such a thing.

They spread rumors with no admiration.

Take those who fly the rainbow flag.

People who feel truly happy, shunned by those who can never understand, Sentenced to a life of eternal damnation for mere misconception.

Those who are different from the herd are slain by wolves, who have a pile of envy as large as an elephant.

Some soar like a bird happy as could be, but some can't fly and they must hunt for happiness.

They pick and prod at the prosperous equinox, dragging them to a place of no return.

For a flightless bird is no more than a mere parasite, glorified what can be barely considered human.

They're slimy, grimy and stealing whatever shred of happiness can be found.

Be careful.

For a flightless birds always carry a pair of shears, acting careless gets your wings clipped.

Those who stick to their own are respected by most, simple people who excel in most prospects.

They find a nugget of golden wisdom.

They find a nugget of golden wisdom but sometimes a bandit is about his mining days are over.

He never realized there was a diamond right below the surface left untouched.

The moral of this tale being, everyone has potential.

If they're not harming others, you shouldn't care what they do.

Stealing emotion from others, gains no happiness.

Staying cold as ice, freezing those around you is no way to live.

Bow.

Goodbye.

(Applause) Kimberly Sims>> Okay judges.

Okay, here we go, on the count of three.

One, two and three.

Let's raise them up and see what we have for our poet.

We have from low to high.

We've got a 9.2 We've got a 9.3.

We've got a 9.6.

We have a 9.7 and a 9.8.

That's a great score, Adam.

That is a 28.6.

Awesome.

Okay everybody.

I say poetry.

You say yeah.

Poetry.

>> Yeah >> Poetry.

>> Yeah.

Put your hands together for Zach.

(applause) Zach>> Behind the scenes of greatness.

Practice is like the key to the door of success.

Practice is like the stairs that lead to a new world, a world full of endless possibilities.

Practice is like that ever so slight line dividing good from great.

Nobody's from superstar and frustration from pride.

Practice is like the seed of a blossoming tree.

Practice is like an upbeat song in a lonely night sky.

A song that can make the stars dance.

A song that could push away any doubts of greatness and turn them into stealth force Practice, it's like the behind the scenes of an Oscar winning movie.

Practice is as powerful as a Jedi, a Jedi that has the ability to lift up trees only by using his mind.

Once you practice, you have the power to do anything whether you succeed or not, that's up to you, but let me return back to Star Wars universe for just one second.

I firmly believe that if you ask Yoda about this, he'd tell you one thing, Do or do not.

There is no truth.

(applause) Kimberly Sims>> Okay, Judges.

It's a tough job being a judge.

Okay judges, here we go.

One, two and raise them up.

What do we have for Zach today?

We have from low to high.

We've got a 9.4.

We have a 9.7.

We have another 9.7.

We have a 9.9 and another 9.9.

(applause) That's a 29.3 Keep your hands clapping for our next poet, Elliott.

(applause) Elliott>> Poems can be about anything, except what's right.

People write about dancing in the fields, missing a loved one or longing for fortune and fame.

We're overlooked casting each other aside like empty bottles after a long night of blacking out like a time travelers reel.

Humans aren't allowed to love anymore.

Women can't speak.

The trans can't simply use the bathroom.

People block each other's freedom with chains and bricks as heavy as the world itself, tearing away any hope someone has and keeping it for your own.

We see children who are being hurt by the ones who should be raising them, and people do nothing because mothers are supposed to know best adults casting children aside when they complain because what do they know people assuming the neurodivergent are stupid and can't do anything just because they have difficulty.

What good are the disabled is a dumpster fire of your own problems if you get too close.

Judging others for things that they cannot control as if they can help not being a pretty blonde with crystal blue eyes that chime like the sunset over the ocean.

So many died killing themselves loathing their own skin, Afraid to disappoint those they hold close.

Some who like this in gender are left in pain unable to speak for themselves in genuine terror of being hurt.

Humans stare at loved ones the second they're useless like some broken record edition to replace.

Women told they can't wear suits and men told they can't wear dresses just because others say that's not what boys and girls do, being ignored like a leaf blown in the wind insignificant in the grand scheme of things.

Yet it stands as charming as a star in the night sky, just because you don't fit society's standards of normal or pretty (whew who) people.

Poems can't be about anything, unless humans change.

(applause) Kimberly Sims>> Great job.

Thank you, Elliot, for that.

All right judges, here we go on the count of three.

One, two, three.

Raise them up.

What do we have for our poet, Elliot?

We have from low to high.

We have a 9.3.

We have a 9.5.

We have a 9.6.

We have a 9.8 and a 9.9.

That's an awesome score there.

That's a 28.9 for Elliot.

(applause) Please put your hands together for our next poet coming up to the stage, Amelia.

(applause) Amelia>> I feel like a mirror you look at, and either something is missing, or you're disgusted.

I am there but then I'm not.

This could be you, but you still act like I'm an outcast.

I feel silent.

Drifting off to what I know, begging and praying for hope.

Some days, I remember and some days I try so hard to forget.

I feel like I'm being pulled along by scrawny rope waiting for the last string to descend to the bare ground.

I feel like I'm on this path that never ends and some days, I give up and you step over me like I'm worthless.

I am still human.

I am still pretty.

I haven't been showered with love yet.

I haven't been given the chance.

I want to feel as tough as nails, but you make me feel as delicate as a dandelion.

I'm like driftwood, my ideas, hopes and wants floating away.

The amounts I collect each day don't compare to the amount of hatred I felt in my life.

Words are powerful, even to the people who can't understand.

They know the pain.

But I'm so alive.

I am so strong and I just want to say a few words before my voice gets silenced.

I still care.

I just might be harsh because your glares and your snarky remarks.

I'm still human.

Even if you don't want to accept, I will accept what you can't.

I feel like an old dirty book, most people blow past but never understand what it holds.

(applause) Kimberly Sims>> Thank you, Amelia.

Okay judges.

On the count of three, let's see what we have for our poet.

One, two and three.

Raise them up.

What do we have for our poet?

We have from low to high.

We've got a 9.5.

We have a 9.7.

We have another 9.7.

We have a 9.9 and we have a 10.

(applause) That is a 29.3 for Amelia.

Put your hands together for our next poet, Raine.

(applause) Raine>> Arrogant no more.

Tony Stark, genius billionaire, playboy philanthropist, works all day, parties all night.

That was Tony Stark.

Life turned Tony Stark around and he became the hero, Iron Man.

Tony Stark like fine wine got better as he aged.

Robert Downey Jr. played Iron Man.

Robert Downey Jr. like Iron Man was constantly drunk and in trouble, then one day turned around his life.

Robert became Iron Man, but Iron Man was no longer just a person, but more like an idea to be better.

To be a better person than you were yesterday to give it your all, every day to make a difference.

And at the end of the day, Iron Man isn't just Robert Downey Jr. We are all Iron Man.

I am Iron Man.

(applause) Kimberly Sims>> That was our poet, Raine.

Okay judges, at the count of three.

One, two and three.

Hold it up.

Let's see what we have for our poet.

We have a few Iron Man fans out here.

We've got from low to high.

We've got a 9.2.

We've got a 9.4.

We have a 9.5.

We've got a 9.6 and another 9.6.

That's an awesome score for Raine, everybody.

That's a 28.5.

When I said poetry slams are often won or lost by point one points, that's definitely going to be the case here today.

Definitely, put your hands together for our next poet, Aniyah.

(applause) >> Being paranoid to be in my own skin, being brown feels like a sin.

When we came into this world, we were never meant to treat each other this way.

People of color like me and many others are viewed as unworthy and ran over like a rock.

We feel mistreated, like a slap in the face and our hearts broken like a vase.

I cry as if we can change people, but in some way, I know that's not the case.

Some people's feelings are set in stone, my mind spins in the wind knowing all the racially motivated crimes, and how some people like me can't even die without getting treated like a bad hamburger and tossed to the side.

I feel determined and obligated to make a change with the true propellers behind me, activists in all people of all kinds will come together and help me change people who are sick in the mind and think it's okay to act this way like a terrible blue sky.

They can change.

They can stop viewing me and my people as if we are insane.

Hopefully, the power of my rhymes help people see how much hatred we have in the skies.

It brings me pain to see that we are not equal and we will never be the same, but in some ways we are.

We all bleed red blood into the same blue sky.

I feel like a leaf losing it's color.

My smile is starting to fade away.

Is it possible to be happy when I know there needs to be change in order for me to feel safe.

I don't know if this feeling of being scared to begin my own skin will ever go away, unless we all change, unless we all treat each other the same.

(applause) Kimberly Sims>> Thank you, Aniyah.

Okay judges.

Here we go.

One, two and three.

Let's see what we have for our poet, Aniyah.

We have from low to high.

We have a 9.7.

We have a 9.8.

We have a 10.

We have a 10.

We have a 10, giving her a great score.

(applause) 29.8 for Aniyah.

It's the highest score, so far today.

Keep your hands clapping for our next poet, Ella.

(applause) Ella>> People in 2021 say they're everything but think they're nothing.

They dress like the newest trend changing as rapidly as the weather.

People feel as though who they are is stupid, but everyone's just pretending together.

I have a question.

What would happen if we all just stopped pretending?

What if your confidence was as strong as the power the world has over you now?

What if I told you the girl with blue eyes, blonde highlights, flat iron hair, crop top mascara as thick as the mud on her once white shoes is on the verge of having a mental breakdown, broken and hurt like a butterfly with a broken wing.

The so called player constantly talking to different girls debating over basketball and football is actually insecure, hates himself and never thinks he's enough.

As if a child a lost child begging to go home.

So, what if we all just stopped pretending, stopped thinking we're Nothing, when we're everything?

What if everyone's just trying their best?

No one wakes up and decides they're going to try their worst.

So, what if today you walked in with confidence?

What if instead of being a push aside like you're nothing, you stood up tall because you are everything?

What if I just stopped pretending?

What if you just stopped pretending?

What if we all just stopped pretending?

(applause) Kimberly Sims>> Thank you to our poet, Ella.

Okay judges, on the count of three here we go.

One, two and three, Let's see what we have for our poet.

We have from low to high.

We've got a 9.4.

We have a 9.5.

We have a 9.6.

We have a 9.7, and we've got a 9.8 for our poet everybody.

(applause) That's a 28.8.

Keep your hands going for our next poet Landry.

(applause) >> Poverty, it's ruining the world.

People have awful health, while others swim in wealth.

It's like a trap.

So many people are stuck.

The world is struggling.

Jobs are needed, but they can't because of how they are treated.

It's like quicksand.

Everyone's slowly sinking.

What are we thinking?

They are hungry.

People need food.

The people are screwed.

No one will help them.

There are so much they haven't learned.

I'm concerned.

They need to go to school.

They need an education.

Sanitation.

We need to be clean.

What we need is a well worked machine.

We need shelter.

We need a stable home, tarps, tents on side of the street on concrete.

This is not right.

Right now, it's complete chaos.

There is no order.

It's horror, a disorder.

689 million.

That's how many people are a part of this.

The population is rising.

It's surprising.

Poverty just keeps growing.

It's social discrimination and illness.

It's separation, meaning communication.

It's like a book with no words.

(applause) Kimberly Sims>> Thank you to our poet, Landry.

Okay, judges, what do we have for our poet today?

One, two, and three.

Let's raise them up.

We have from low to high.

We've got a 9.1.

We've got a 9.2.

We have a 9.4.

We have a 9.5, and we have another 9.5 for our poet everybody.

That's a 28.1 for Landry.

Put your hands together for our next poet, Adrienne.

(applause) Adrienne>> As I gaze over a beautiful earth, I see its beauty acquainted with the consequences of selfish humanity.

The plastic is invading our oceans like a troop of foreign soldiers.

I wish all the cars, trains, buses and airplanes could take us wherever we could dream to go but the earth coughs up the thick black smoke.

The shiny rainbow of a recent oil spill is as deceiving as a snake.

I see the local wildlife coated in a glowing black while their limbs hang limp and the strong smell of pungent oils fill my nose.

The melting ice makes me feel as melancholy as a weeping willow.

The once crystal blue oceans are turned black like a mood ring.

I see litter strewn everywhere like confetti at a birthday party.

I watch as the baby sea turtles can't find their way to the ocean, because of us and our bright lights.

Trees are chopped down as constantly as the ticking hand of a clock.

I see cities that are so polluted that you can't even see the gorgeous blue sky.

All the animals and plants are suffering from our actions.

They're like innocent people charged guilty.

Why should everything else on this planet suffer from us?

Why do we take so much from this earth when all she does is give.

However, I still believe that it is not too late to turn things around.

Kindhearted people are banding together like an army ready to fight, people who want to make a difference.

Litter is being picked off the streets.

Oil soaked ducklings and pelicans are being washed with the fresh fragrance of dawn and so much more.

Fixing the consequences of humanity is no small task.

Be united, I believe we can do it like the little engine that once said I can.

We can.

I can see the light at the end of the tunnel drawing near like an oncoming train.

(applause) Kimberly Sims>> Good job.

Okay, we have three more poets still to go.

Okay judges, here we go on the count of three.

One, two and three.

Let's see what we have for Adrienne.

We have from low to high.

We've got a 9.4.

We've got a 9.6.

We have another 9.6 We have a 9.7 and we've got a 9.9.

Give it up for our poet everybody.

(applause) That's a 28.9 and please put your hands together for our next poet Lucy.

(applause) >> We want a smile like it's part of your makeup.

Wipe away the tears as if their smeared mascara.

I feel like a clown at the circus wearing fake happiness for everyone else's entertainment.

Happy Girls are the prettiest girls, they say.

Sadness isn't an option, Like black tea spilling out of a perfect teacup, I topple just over the edge, but no one will know.

Hard damage like broken glass.

Mind spiraling like a ferris wheel, but I'm not alone.

I think that I'm the only one drowning but we're all swimming in the sea of hurt.

What if we were rescued?

What if we caught each other and made it to shore?

(applause) Kimberly Sims>> Thank you Lucy.

Okay judges you have a tough job today.

On the count of three.

Let's see what we have for our poet, Lucy.

Okay, one, two and three.

Raise them up.

We have from low to high.

We have a 9.6.

We have a 9.7.

We have a 9.8, another 9.8, and we have a 9.9.

Give it up for Lucy.

(applause) 29.3 and put your hands together for our next poet Brendan.

(applause) Brendan>> COVID-19 like death itself, but you don't see it coming.

It's divided politics as easily as folding a piece of paper in half.

It spreads like wildfire and slaughters like a beast.

It's a killer that has no mercy for anyone.

It shuts down civilizations and ruins many lives.

It's the disease, the disease is a spectator in the game of the world's demise.

People that don't believe in it do believe in it when it finds them.

It's the invader that won't leave our home COVID takes and takes and the only thing it gives is death.

It's a brutal straw in the world that will never ever heal.

The virus hides in the shadows and waits to strike at the right time, like a predator.

We're the prey, and when it strikes, it's too late.

It tears apart our world like a piece of paper.

It causes confusion and sadness, like a depression.

It started the war that we are constantly winning and losing.

It's a time bomb waiting to explode.

COVID conquers everything it touches and sees like an empire.

It's a never ending nightmare that we want to get out of.

It has one goal it wants to achieve, and that goal is to kill.

It's a part of the world's history that we wish we could forget, but don't forget it.

Remember, COVID-19 like death itself, but you don't see it coming.

(applause) Kimberly Sims>> All right, Brendan.

Great job.

Okay judges here we go, on the count of three One, two and three, raise them up.

We have from low to high.

We've got a 9.4.

We have a 9.5.

We have a 9.7.

We have a 9.8.

And we have a 9.9.

That's a great score.

That's a 29 everybody.

(applause) And put your hands together for our next poet, Ana Sofia.

(applause) >> All they see are the fun parts.

They just see how fun it is to get to say whatever you want, when in reality, it's quite the opposite.

They choose to be ignorant.

I don't get to choose to move my body.

I don't choose to flail, to rotate to take, to tension, to jab, to punch, to thrash, to flick, to slap to hit my own body.

I don't choose what comes out of my mouth.

I don't choose the profanity, the mimicking, the yelling, the coughing, the throat clearing, the tongue popping.

Whether or not you see it.

I'm never at rest, constantly in motion.

I'm never fully in control.

I can't control how other people think, or how they react to me.

They don't understand what it feels like to feel like you're stuck in a surreal never ending nightmare, where none of what you do, think or say can prevent an escapable inevitable from happening.

They don't understand what it feels like to feel as if you're stuck inside the mind of a crazy person.

They don't understand what it feels like to feel as if you're a puppet for your own mind.

They don't understand how painful and uncomfortable it really is, what it's like for them to trigger my tics.

They don't know what it's like to be able to control your own body.

I'm left with so many questions.

Why me?

Why it's so little known about this disorder that has shifted every aspect, every realm of my life.

How can something be both rare and common, but neither prompt doctors and psychologists to ask more questions?

How can others have such an astounding lack of empathy?

Why do we waste so much of my time trying to inform people who don't want to listen, who seem not to care?

But that's exactly what I do.

They're the same people who giggle, who laugh, who think they're being subtle, when in reality, I feel alienated, ostracized, excluded.

I try to educate them, to choose empathy over ignorance, but they're the same people who smirk, who giggle, who snicker, who chuckle who give me dirty looks, who give me glares.

Did you know that it can ruin someone's day, keep them up at night, while they're already struggling to sleep with these uncontrollable movements.

Keep me up and refuse to let them sleep.

Do you know what it's like to feel like your life depends on a slot machine.

Oh, brain which insulting phrase will it be today?

Because no, I don't actually get to pick what comes out of my mouth.

And no, you're not laughing with me.

You're laughing at me because believe it or not after saying the same phrase for the 87th time today.

It's no longer funny to me...and honestly, it's kind of sad that the highlight of your day is staring and laughing at the kid who can't control her body.

(applause) Kimberly Sims>> Ana Sofia Okay, judges and that was our last poet of today.

Oh my gosh.

All right, here we go.

One, two, and three.

Let's raise them up what we have for our poet.

We have from low to high.

Judge>> These...are sticky.

I'm sorry.

(laughter) Kimberly Sims>> We have a 9.7.

We have a 10.

We have a 10.

We have a 10, and we have a 10.

(Applause) Even I can do that math.

It gives her a perfect score of 30.

(Applause) Okay, that brings us to the end of our Simile Slam.

I am so proud of each and every one of you guys.

Every poem that came up here today was absolutely phenomenal.

You guys performed your hearts out.

You just did so amazing.

And thank you to our judges, because that was a tough job.

(applause) Thank you guys for doing such an amazing job for our Simile Slam today.

I'm so proud of every single one of you, and I'm very excited to announce the winners, I know that the judges had such a hard job because every single one of you brought your A game today, but unfortunately, we did have to get down to our top three.

So, I'm going to start with third place today.

And we actually had a tie for third place.

So, please put your hands together for Sara.

(applause) And tied with Sara is Zach.

Give it up for Zach.

(applause) Give it up one more time for our third place winners.

(applause) In second place in the Simile Slam.

Give it up for Aniyah.

(applause) And the first place winner in our poetry slam today is Ana Sofia.

(applause) Speaker>> That is a wrap for the Simile Slam.

(applause) Furman>> What talented students and thoughtful poetry.

Special thanks to the students at League Academy for their courage and creativity.

After the slam, we had a chance to speak with the students about their school and their experience preparing for the Simile Slam.

Here's what they had to say.

>> With Ms. Monson, she like you can tell she really cares about her kids and she always she gives us a lot of fun projects and especially with this one.

She her joy was like infectious whenever she told us we won.

And she was just she was so happy about it, and that really inspired me to do my best too.

Raine>> the hardest part about today was probably getting up to it and saying the first line, because, well you're going to be on TV and kind of pressure, but once you get the first word out, the rest of it.

It goes out with it.

Ana Sofia>> Just with the nerves and like leading up to it, it was really nerve wracking, but once I got there, I felt a lot more calm and I knew that I wasn't going to be judged for it.

I mean, obviously, I was, but like (laughter) not by my peers.

at least and it just felt like a really supportive and kind group.

>> I think it's just good to let everyone know that it's okay to be nervous and that everyone is, and even if you think that your poem is like, not the best, it really is like, it just makes the environment better and be like, just try your hardest.

>> The best part of today was just everyone supporting everyone around and everyone who was really positive about everything.

Aniyah>> When I came in here, it was so many great poems, it was like a realization check that Muhammad Ali had a lot of confidence because he knew what he was good at.

And I know I'm good at writing, and I know everyone else is.

>> Everyone wrote poems about what they are passionate about, but I feel like we are still middle schoolers, some people aren't like, will laugh at you and will make you feel bad about your poem.

So, I feel like some people like I just I know, at first, I didn't say certain things, because I was scared, I would hurt somebody's feelings, or I'd be judged, but then I feel like coming in here, everybody's talking about what they're passionate about.

>> I think that this was a great experience to get out there and be honest with yourself, and you didn't have to hide because everyone was honest, and being who they are.

>> I think the best part was probably just reading through our poem and listening to everyone else, because it was just, it was like the feeling of satisfaction when you finish your poem, like everyone just clapping for you, it felt really good, and being able to hear everyone's like great pieces was really nice.

Furman>>We also had the opportunity to visit battle boxing gym in Columbia, South Carolina, to facilitate a student athlete huddle and talk back, the student athletes viewed a screener of the PBS documentary, Muhammad Ali, and made their voices heard about how they can use their platform to make a difference in their community.

(movie dialogue) >> Seeing this film made me realize how important life is and how you can use your, you know, your platform, you know, to inspire others and even help others.

>> I feel like in our community, now, there's a lot of - a lot of people that have anger, and they seem to go to like weapons and stuff like that.

Now, back in the day, they used to just fight it out, but now it's like people getting killed and shot and everything like that.

So I feel like we need to, I would love to make like more boxing gyms, because there's a lot of people that could put their anger in the ring.

And you know, they could go somewhere with that.

A lot of people, you know, came out of the womb fighting.

>> Boxing has really taught me how to seek peace, as I have realized that the skills and abilities have been given from boxing, have made me a lot, a lot more dangerous to other people around me.

And therefore, I must find other options besides violence for my peers and fellow people.

So, I'm actually, going to be going to the military.

And even though I'm going to the military, boxing, and the lessons of peace that I have learned, is going to, you know, just pave my path.

>> We take athletes to play other sports and their parents bring them here so, we can help them be better at the sport they're in.

We can do the same thing with fitness people.

Just get them in.

Let them come work out and have fun, make some friends, not everybody's meant to stay.

But for the ones who end up liking it, and they're making friends.

That's why we have so many people, we can keep them here and teach them how to get healthy.

We're not worried about if they fight or not.

We just want them to be healthy and be active, get out of the house, and that's the reason we do it.

Ali was able to self promote himself, and he did it to where like the video showed he was around the world.

Everybody loved him.

He was just outspoken.

He believed in himself, and he believed that his brand was good enough to do on his own, and a lot of it he did.

He kind of paved the way for Mayweather and other boxers to take control of their career and I respect him most for that.

(movie dialogue) ...stand up look over there.

Stand up.

(movie dialogue) >> He was paid and free.

So basically, the money never changed who he really was.

He never let the money change him.

He always took care of his friends, his family and the people around him.

>> One problem I see is like I see I noticed like people they live on the street and I actually want to change that.

You know as you earn money, you know, helping our homeless build homeless shelters and build houses and help out the community, because you know, you can't really live life without money, but you honestly can save a percentage for like some of the people who don't have anything.

>> A lot of times, athletes promote the wrong things and a lot of people like to follow trends and they like to do what they see the professionals do, But if we learn how to I say give back or to be who you want to be or not be what somebody else wants you to be, then the problem will be solved.

>> I use my platform, which is what I wanted to do.

You know, I think my purpose in life is to do is like, I'm a heavy Christian.

So, I want to teach people that might have been lost or you know, that they want to seek him.

I had almost like 23,000 people in my live, Sunday, just talking about God listening to gospel music and things like that.

So that's another reason why I want to build my platform while I'm boxing and stuff like that.

(movie dialogue) Furman>> Thank you for tuning in to our Simile Slam.

To keep up with us and learn more about exciting engagement opportunities.

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