Every Tuesday, the Jason Taylor Foundation dedicates the day to spotlighting an individual or organization that has supported our tireless efforts toward building a brighter future for the youth of the South Florida community. This week we would like to spotlight the return of JTF’s “Read to Succeed Initiative” presented by StevenDouglas. Read to Succeed, […]
5 Ways Spoken Word Poetry Is a Game Changer in the Classroom By Shawntee` Herring – Director of bluapple Poetry Programming, Jason Taylor Foundation Spoken word poetry is often described as a calling, and for me, that’s exactly what it was. I didn’t set out to become a poet; in fact, I never thought poetry […]
The Jason Taylor Foundation’s Omari Hardwick bluapple Poetry Network, in partnership with the NHL’s Florida Panthers Hockey Club, announces the 2025-2026 Panthers’ Poetry Project Contest. The contest window is September 26, 2025 to December 12, 2025. If you wish for your class or school to participate, please email the Programs Coordinator, Christopher Simpson, at christopher@jasontaylorfoundation.com […]
bluapple Poetry Network Teaching Artist Juliana is a writer and poet. A Charles W. Flanagan School graduate, she has been a stand-out poet during Louder Than a Bomb Florida festivals, including as a two-time Team Champion
bluapple Poetry Network Teaching Artist Juliana is a writer and poet. A Charles W. Flanagan School graduate, she has been a stand-out poet during Louder Than a Bomb Florida festivals, including as a two-time Team Champion
The South Florida Youth Poet Laureate competition is a collaboration between the Jason Taylor Foundation’s Omari Hardwick bluapple Poetry Network, and Urban Word, a New York-based literary arts education and youth development organization that facilitates the National Youth Poet Laureate competition, a program that, as of 2026, is in more than fifty cities/regions across […]
Christopher Simpson bluapple Poetry Programs Coordinator Introduction: When I look back on one of the parts of my life that shaped me the most as a person, it wasn’t what most would expect. The old phrase, “Sticks and stones can break my bones, but words will never hurt me” is a far cry from the […]
What Is #GivingTuesday? #Giving Tuesday is a global day of generosity that takes place each year on the Tuesday after Thanksgiving. Created in 2012, it began as a simple idea: a day that encourages people to do good. Over time, it has grown into a worldwide movement that inspires hundreds of millions of people to […]
Why We Established Cool Gear for the School Year by Jason Taylor (originally published 8.10.2021) I didn’t grow up with much. My Mom busted her tail, working at least two jobs per day to make sure we were fed and had a place to live, but I’d be lying if I said I didn’t know […]
