Renaissance Turns Winning Student Lyrics Into Engaging Flocabulary Lessons
Two K–12 students have develop into published authors after winning a nationwide contest that celebrates student writing and creativity through hip-hop-based learning. In honor of National Poetry Month, Renaissance, a global leader in pre-K–12 education technology, launched two recent student-inspired lessons on its Flocabulary platform. The winning lyrics honor scientist Temple Grandin and astronaut Sally Ride, transforming student voices into educational resources available to over 20,000 schools across the country.
Student Voices Amplified Through the Flocabulary Student Voice Rap Contest
The Flocabulary Student Voice Rap Contest is a project-based learning initiative designed to support core literacy skill development. Through the contest, K–12 educators guide students in researching, writing, and rapping about historical figures who inspire them. This year’s winning entries celebrate the lives and contributions of Temple Grandin, a renowned scientist and autism advocate, and Sally Ride, the first American woman in space.
As part of the contest, students create original lyrics that reflect their research and personal connection to these figures. The winning submissions are then developed into full Flocabulary video lessons, complete with learning activities, and added to the platform’s library of over 1,300 standards-aligned lessons that use hip-hop, storytelling, and emotional connections to build vocabulary and comprehension across subjects.
Meet the Published Student Authors
Both winners have now become published authors, as their lyrics were transformed into official Flocabulary lessons. The secondary school winner is Lana S., a 10th grader from Jefferson County Public Schools in Kentucky, whose lyrics focus on Temple Grandin. The elementary school winner is Chloe R., whose work centers on Sally Ride. Each student’s video lesson includes a brief introduction where they share their motivations and inspirations behind writing the lyrics.
Dr. Mervin Jenkins, Director and Solutions Consultant at Renaissance, emphasized the contest’s broader educational goals: “Our goal with this contest is for students to engage in academics and creativity at the same time. With this contest, we’re celebrating student literacy, cultural expression, and history. The ultimate thing students can do with the knowledge they gain is to create.”
Impact and Availability of the New Lessons
The new Flocabulary lessons featuring Lana S.’s and Chloe R.’s lyrics are now available to more than 20,000 schools nationwide. These lessons join a growing library designed to make learning engaging and accessible through music and rhythm. By turning student-created content into teaching tools, Renaissance aims to empower young learners and demonstrate the real-world impact of their voices in education.
As National Poetry Month continues to highlight the importance of literary expression, initiatives like the Flocabulary Student Voice Rap Contest show how creativity and academics can intersect to inspire the next generation of thinkers, writers, and changemakers.