Baltimore-area students selected are invited to share their works on stage on April 26th for cash, prizes
The Lyric Baltimore has announced the sixteen finalists in the 6th annual Dream Big Contest. The contest, which kicks off each year on Martin Luther King, Jr. Day, asks Baltimore-area students in grades 5-12 to consider their big dreams for a better world, then submit a one-page poem, 300-word essay, 1-minute video, or – new in 2023 – an original art piece which brings that dream to life. This year’s finalists were selected by final adjudicator, Maria Broom – a Baltimore-native actor, dancer, Fulbright Scholar, and faculty member at the Baltimore School for the Arts.
“The Lyric Education team is so proud to celebrate all of our 2023 Dream Big Contest finalists,” said Denise Kumani Gantt, Director of Education at the Lyric Baltimore. “These incredibly impressive students have put in so much thought and care to imagine creative solutions to real-life inequities they and others face in their lives. We are always moved by the vision of young people in our community, and can’t wait for them to be able to share their dreams on-stage with an audience.”
This year’s finalists will be recognized as either “Visionaries” (grand prize winners) or “Dreamers” (runners-up) at an Awards Celebration on Wednesday, April 26, 2023, hosted by WBAL-TV anchor Megan Rivers. The program will also be aired on WBAL-TV 11 on Sunday, May 14 at 11:30 AM. Nasha Thomas of Alvin Ailey American Dance Theater will provide the program’s keynote address, and an opening performance will be given by local spoken word artist, Sha-Shonna Rogers. The celebration will also feature performances by community-based, dance therapy collective Ballet After Dark and local youth choir, Singing Sensations.
This year’s student finalists are:
VISIONARIES
- Teni Adedire, 11th Grade, Eastern Technical High School
- Joshua Adler, 6th Grade, Francis Scott Key Elementary/Middle School
- Miles Anderson, 10th Grade, Baltimore City College
- Aminah Ebron, 11th Grade, Baltimore School for the Arts
- Naima Renee Gordon, 10th Grade, Baltimore City College
- Sha’Miyae Hinton-Knight, 7th Grade, Charm City Virtual Elementary/Middle School
- Kayla Tabernero, 11th Grade, Parkville High School
- Elias Rigoberto Gomez Zisselsberger, 8th Grade, Hamilton Elementary/Middle School
DREAMERS
- Dellia Christlove Osnelle Azondekon, 11th Grade, Parkville High School
- Danny Buck, 9th Grade, The Community School
- Margaret Dalbey, 8th Grade, Hamilton Elementary/Middle School
- Janine Domacena, 11th Grade, Parkville High School
- Gabrielle G. Francois, 8th Grade, Woodlawn Middle School
- Owen Galiani, 11th Grade, Boys’ Latin School of Maryland
- Nevaeh Little, 6th Grade, Baltimore Leadership School for Young Women
- Ayana Longshore, 12th Grade, Baltimore School for the Arts
This year, WBAL-TV is a Media Partner of the Dream Big Contest, and other sponsors include BGE, Bank of America, Comcast, Foundry Row, and Whiting-Turner. “We are so thankful for our sponsors that have made Dream Big possible once again in 2023,” said Jonathan Schwartz, Executive Director of the Lyric Foundation. “Organizations like these, as well as the Maryland State Arts Council, support the imagination and voice of young people in our communities and are critical to what we do.”
The Dream Big Awards Celebration at the Lyric Baltimore is free to attend and open to the public. Doors open at 6:30 pm, and the program begins promptly at 7:00 pm. For more information and to RSVP, go to lyricbaltimore.com/education.
About The Lyric Foundation
The Lyric Foundation is a non-profit organization operating and maintaining the Lyric Baltimore, a live entertainment venue located in the Mount Vernon neighborhood in Baltimore, Maryland. A cornerstone of the arts community since 1894, The Lyric presents a variety of music, dance, comedy, youth centric and educational programming of the highest quality to diverse audiences in the greater Baltimore and Maryland region.
The Lyric has hosted historic and amazing performances by Robin Williams, Alvin Ailey-American Dance Theater, Bill Maher, Patton Oswalt, Dave Chappelle, Disney Jr. Dance Party. The Lyric has hosted concerts by Aretha Franklin, Santana, The Grateful Dead, Journey, Chicago, Ringo Starr, Doobie Brothers, Diana Ross, Joe Bonamassa, Jason Isbell and the 400 Unit and more.
The Lyric Education Department knows that training in the arts can transform a young person’s life. Our in-school and summer programs are supported by the belief that every person has a unique and important story to share. Offerings include our MLK Dream BIG contest, Horizons Theater Workshop and Rising Up! program.
For more information, please visit lyricbaltimore.com.
