Lyric Baltimore has announced the sixteen finalists in the 7th annual Dream Big Contest. The contest, which kicks off each year on Martin Luther King, Jr. Day, asked Baltimore-area students in grades 5-12 to respond to the question, “What will it take for us all to be free?” by submitting a one-page poem, 300-word essay, 1-minute video, or an original art piece. This year’s finalists were selected by final adjudicator Marquis Gasque, known professionally as Mighty Mark, a platinum music producer, DJ, and Baltimore club music pioneer.
"The Lyric Education team is so proud to celebrate all of our 2024 Dream Big Contest finalists,” said Denise Kumani Gantt, Director of Education at Lyric Baltimore. "These incredibly impressive students have poured so much thought and care into envisioning creative solutions to real-life inequities. Their dedication always moves us, and we can’t wait for them to share their insights about the world in front of an audience on the Lyric’s grand stage.”
This year’s finalists will be recognized as either “Visionaries” (grand prize winners) or “Dreamers” (runners-up) at an Awards Celebration on Friday, April 26, 2024, at 7 pm, hosted by WBAL-TV 11 anchor Megan Rivers. The program will be aired on WBAL-TV 11 on Wednesday, June 19, 2024.
Eastern Tech Senior Chiemela Nwokoro, a 2022 Dream Big Contest finalist, 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 Ballet After Dark, BLSYW Elite Dance Team, and a jazz and vocal ensemble from Baltimore School for the Arts. The post-show reception will feature music by Mighty Mark.
This year’s student finalists are:
Visionaries
- Hanna Acevedo, 11th grade, Dundalk High School
- Christian Alexander, 11th grade, George Washington Carver Center for Arts and Technology
- David Arowolo, 9th grade, Eastern Technical High School
- Isabel Faith Ann Foltz, 6th grade, City Neighbors Charter School
- Ashanti Nicole Gillis, 10th grade, Towson High School
- Brendan Newton, 12th grade, Baltimore Polytechnic Institute
- Chinyere Olanna Nwosu, 5th grade, Hamilton Elementary/Middle School
- Aderayo Sofoluwe, 8th grade, Hamilton Elementary/Middle School
Dreamers
- Mohamed Cisse, 9th grade, The Community School
- Mariah Cole, 10th grade, Baltimore City College
- Kendall Riley Curtis, 10th grade, The Community School
- Tenzin Dorjee, 6th grade, Catonsville Middle School
- Makayli Rose Garcia, 8th grade, Graceland Park-O’Donnell Heights Elementary/Middle School
- Ja’kayla Holmes, 9th grade, Western High School
- Kinsley Potts, 9th grade, Garrison Forest School
- Jeshua Starghill-Shaka, 12th grade, Baltimore Polytechnic Institute
In addition to the Visionaries and Dreamers, the Lyric will honor three sage artists who have committed much of their artistry to enriching the lives of youth: Maria Broom, Abu the Flutemaker, and “Mama” Shirley Foulks. Those three individuals will be recognized with “Believer” awards for their steadfast support and promotion of the arts in Baltimore throughout their lives.
This year, WBAL-TV is a media partner of the Dream Big Contest, and other sponsors include ASM Global, BGE, Bank of America, Comcast, Greenberg Gibbons, and Whiting-Turner. "We are so thankful for our sponsors that have made Dream Big possible once again in 2024," 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."