MIAMI-<\/strong> As Homestead-Miami Speedway<\/strong><\/a>\u00a0prepares to host NASCAR<\/strong><\/a>\u2019s championship races in all three national series for the 16th<\/sup> consecutive year, it is also continuing its commitment of helping kids excel in the classroom. This school year, kids will put pen to paper and compose poems as part of the second annual \u201cWrite Track Poetry\u201d competition<\/strong>. The Speedway and the Omari Hardwick bluapple Poetry Network<\/strong><\/a> of the Jason Taylor Foundation are partnering with Miami-Dade County Public Schools to hold the contest.<\/p>\n The goal of \u201cWrite Track Poetry\u201d is to promote school-wide interest in creative writing and literacy through poetry with a focus on a NASCAR theme. This year, students from 13 Miami-Dade County middle schools will submit a poem based on the topic, What is Your Legacy? <\/i><\/p>\n As part of this year\u2019s competition, the top three poetry pieces in each grade (6-8) from all 13 schools will be awarded two tickets to the NASCAR XFINITY Series Ford EcoBoost 300 championship race<\/strong><\/a> at Homestead-Miami Speedway on Saturday, November 18, 2017. The school with the highest percentage of participation will receive a donation from Homestead-Miami Speedway\u2019s charitable outreach program, \u201cDriving for a Cause.\u201d<\/p>\n \u201cLast year, the \u2018Write Track Poetry\u2019 program saw a great deal of success, providing kids a platform to express themselves in a form of art,\u201d said Homestead-Miami Speedway President Matthew Becherer. \u201cPoetry is an impactful instructional tool in the classroom that helps students build upon their creative skills, while also expanding their cultural horizons. We are excited that NASCAR and Homestead-Miami Speedway can be a part of their conversation.\u201d<\/p>\n “We are thrilled to see significant growth in the Write Track Poetry program in just its second year,\u201d said Seth Levit, executive director of the Jason Taylor Foundation. \u201cThere is nothing more powerful than witnessing young people come alive as they begin to feel validation in their uniquely personal stories and experiences.\u00a0 The fact that this validation is coming from institutions like Miami-Dade County Public Schools and the Homestead-Miami Speedway is priceless for these students.”<\/p>\n<\/blockquote>\n Of the 13 schools, the top-three poets overall will have the unique opportunity to be driven to school in the Homestead-Miami Speedway Official Pace Car. At the conclusion of the competition, one of those top-three poets will be given the chance to have their piece professionally recorded\/produced and played prior to the start of the Ford EcoBoost 300.<\/p>\n \u2022 \u00a0 Air Base K-8 Center Each of the 13 schools will be holding pep rallies. The following are confirmed pep rallies with dates and times as follows:<\/p>\n About the Jason Taylor Foundation<\/u><\/strong><\/p>\n In July 2004, Miami Dolphins legendary Defensive End and Pro Football Hall of Famer<\/a>, Jason Taylor<\/a><\/strong>, established the Jason Taylor Foundation, a 501 (c)(3) organization. The Foundation\u2019s mission is to support and create programs that facilitate the personal growth and empowerment of South Florida\u2019s children in need by focusing on improved health care, education and quality of life.<\/p>\n Since opening its doors, the Jason Taylor Foundation has impacted tens of thousands of children through innovative programming including The Jason Taylor Reading Room, Cool Gear for the School Year, the Jason Taylor Children\u2019s Learning Center, Jason Taylor Scholars and the Omari Hardwick bluapple Poetry Network, among others. For more information on the Jason Taylor Foundation,\u00a0please\u00a0email us at info@jasontaylorfoundation.com<\/strong><\/a><\/span>, call us at 954.424.0799<\/strong> or follow us @jtfoundation99<\/strong><\/a><\/span> or @bluapplepoetry<\/span><\/strong><\/a>.<\/p>\n About Homestead-Miami Speedway<\/u><\/strong><\/p>\n Homestead-Miami Speedway has been open since 1995 following an initiative to spur economic recovery in the aftermath of Hurricane Andrew. The Speedway is a 650-acre facility that features a 1.5-mile oval and 2.21-mile road course. The Speedway hosts on-track events nearly 300 days per year and generates more than $301 million annually for the region. In 2016, NASCAR celebrated its 15-year anniversary (2002-16) of crowning champions in all three of its national series at Homestead-Miami Speedway during Ford Championship Weekend. Champions crowned at Homestead-Miami Speedway in 2016 were Jimmie Johnson (Monster Energy NASCAR Cup Series), Daniel Suarez (NASCAR XFINITY Series) and Johnny Sauter (NASCAR Camping World Truck Series). 2017 Ford Championship Weekend will be held November 17-19.<\/p>\n About “Driving for a Cause”<\/u><\/strong><\/p>\n \u201cDriving for a Cause,\u201d the charitable arm of Homestead-Miami Speedway, operates under the auspices of the NASCAR Foundation as a 501(c) 3 non-profit organization. Homestead-Miami Speedway will continue each of its charitable activities, including its in-kind donations to local groups, support of Homestead Hospital\u2019s Speediatrics unit, and its program where organizations can work track events in exchange for a donation to their group or cause.<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":" JASON TAYLOR FOUNDATION AND HOMESTEAD-MIAMI SPEEDWAY TO HOLD SECOND ANNUAL \u201cWRITE TRACK POETRY\u201d COMPETITION Thirteen Miami-Dade County middle schools to participate in program, to be held in conjunction with Omari Hardwick bluapple Poetry Network MIAMI- As Homestead-Miami Speedway\u00a0prepares to host NASCAR\u2019s championship races in all three national series for the 16th consecutive year, it is […]<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":1,"featured_media":9186,"comment_status":"closed","ping_status":"open","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"footnotes":""},"categories":[25],"tags":[],"acf":[],"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/jasontaylorfoundation.com\/2024\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/10298"}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/jasontaylorfoundation.com\/2024\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/jasontaylorfoundation.com\/2024\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/jasontaylorfoundation.com\/2024\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/1"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/jasontaylorfoundation.com\/2024\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=10298"}],"version-history":[{"count":24,"href":"https:\/\/jasontaylorfoundation.com\/2024\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/10298\/revisions"}],"predecessor-version":[{"id":10323,"href":"https:\/\/jasontaylorfoundation.com\/2024\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/10298\/revisions\/10323"}],"wp:featuredmedia":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/jasontaylorfoundation.com\/2024\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media\/9186"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/jasontaylorfoundation.com\/2024\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=10298"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/jasontaylorfoundation.com\/2024\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=10298"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/jasontaylorfoundation.com\/2024\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=10298"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}\n
\n\u2022 \u00a0 <\/strong><\/a>Arthur & Polly Mays Conservatory of the Arts
\n\u2022 \u00a0 <\/strong><\/a>Campbell Drive K-8 Center
\n\u2022 \u00a0 <\/strong><\/a>Caribbean K-8 Center
\n\u2022 \u00a0 <\/strong><\/a>Coconut Palm K-8 Academy
\n\u2022 \u00a0 <\/strong><\/a>Gateway Environmental K-8 Learning Center
\n\u2022 \u00a0 <\/strong><\/a>Irving & Beatrice Peskoe K-8 Center
\n\u2022 \u00a0 <\/strong><\/a>Kenwood K-8 Center
\n\u2022 \u00a0 <\/strong><\/a>Leewood K-8 Center
\n\u2022 \u00a0 <\/strong><\/a>Leisure City K-8 Center
\n\u2022 \u00a0 <\/strong><\/a>Mandarin Lakes K-8 Academy
\n\u2022 \u00a0 <\/strong><\/a>Redland Middle School
\n\u2022 \u00a0 <\/strong><\/a>Richmond Heights Middle School<\/strong><\/a><\/strong><\/strong><\/strong><\/strong><\/strong><\/strong><\/strong><\/strong><\/strong><\/strong><\/strong><\/strong><\/strong><\/p>\nThursday, Sept. 28 at 8:45 a.m.<\/strong><\/span>
\nGateway Environmental K-8 Learning Center
\n955 SE 18 Ave., Homestead, FL 33035<\/h4>\nFriday, Sept. 29 at 8:45 a.m.<\/span>
\n<\/strong>Kenwood K-8 Center
\n9300 SW 79 Ave., Miami, FL 33156<\/h4>\nFriday, Sept. 29 at 2:00 p.m.<\/span>
\n<\/strong>Leewood K-8 Center
\n10343 SW 124th<\/sup> St., Miami 33176<\/h4>\nThursday, October 5 at 9:30 a.m.<\/strong><\/span>
\nArthur & Poly Mays Conservatory of the Arts
\n11700 SW 216th<\/sup> St., Goulds 33170<\/h4>\nFriday, Oct. 6 at 9:30 a.m.<\/strong><\/span>
\nRichmond Heights Middle School
\n15015 SW 103rd Ave., Miami, FL 33176<\/h4>\n