For over a decade Roots of American Music has been working with the Maltz Museum and our Stop the Hate program to deliver anti-bias education through the lens of arts enrichment through Youth Sing Out.
The 2021 Youth Sing Out Songwriting Contest is a classroom based group competition for sixth to twelfth grade students that invites classrooms to participate in:
- A virtual “Stop the Hate” Maltz Museum tour
- A virtual “Power of Music and Protest” Rock & Roll Hall of Fame tour
- A free online workshop with a teaching artist from Roots of American Music to reflect on what they’ve learned, discuss their own experiences with discrimination and bias, and then work together to pen an original song.
The song that the students write together with their teaching artist becomes the class submission to the Stop the Hate contest. Songs from across Northeast Ohio are judged by a panel of music experts selected in partnership with the Rock & Roll Hall of Fame. The winning classrooms receive anti-bias education grants for their school, as outlined here.
Sign up to be notified when Stop the Hate winners are announced
Congratulations to all Middle School and High School Participants
Original lyrics are sung by teaching artists from Roots of American Music. To hear a classroom's song see the list below. Those named finalists are recognized within the list. Winners will be announced in May on the Maltz Museum website.
MIDDLE SCHOOL CATEGORY
Bang You're Gone
Written by Melissa Moran's Grade 7 Class, Wade Park School
Performed by Afi Scruggs
Behind the Mask
Written by Justin Caithaml's Grade 7 Choir, Midview Middle School
Performed by Brent Kirby
Change the Future
Written by Tamara Blair's Grade 7 Class, Newton D. Baker School of Arts
Performed by Afi Scruggs
Embracing the Change
Written by Renee Ritter's Grade 8 Class, Luis Munoz Marin School
Performed by Kyle Kidd
Everyone Should Be Free
Written by Tamara Blair's Grade 8 Class, Newton D. Baker School of Arts
Performed by Ray Flanagan
Freedom Fighters
Written by Renee Ritter's Grade 8 Class, Luis Munoz Marin School
Performed by Kyle Kidd
Fuel for the Fire
Written by Andrea Soncina's Grade 8 Class, Harding Middle School
Performed by Ray Flanagan
Hands Up Don't Shoot
Written by Melissa Moran's Grade 8 Class, Wade Park School
Performed by Afi Scruggs
Have Peace, Start Love
Written by Andrea Soncina's Grade 6 Class, Garfield Middle School
Performed by Sam Hooper
Scream for Justice
Written by Andrea Soncina's Grade 6 Class, Harding Middle School
Performed by Ray Flanagan
Sorry
Written by Tamara Blair's Grade 7 Class, Newton D. Baker School of Arts
Performed by Afi Scruggs
Stand Up and Talk About It (finalist)
Written by Andrea Soncina's Grade 7 Class, Harding Middle School
Performed by Ray Flanagan
Stand Up, Work Together, Cheer Up (finalist)
Written by Andrea Soncina's Grade 8 Class, Garfield Middle School
Performed by Sam Hooper
Stay Strong
Written by Justin Caithaml's Grade 8 Choir Class, Midview Middle School
Performed by Brent Kirby
The Flames of Hate (finalist)
Written by Andrea Soncina's Grade 7 Class, Garfield Middle School
Performed by Sam Hooper
Unity Song
Written by Margo Bell's SOAR Class, Longfellow Middle School
Performed by Kyle Kidd
What Kind of Future? (finalist)
Written by Tamara Blair's Grade 8 Class, Newton D. Baker School of Arts
Performed by Ray Flanagan
When You See Us (finalist)
Written by Renee Ritter's Grade 7 Class, Luis Munoz Marin School
Performed by Kyle Kidd
HIGH SCHOOL CATEGORY
Alive and Thrive
Laverne McLain's 1st Period Class, Max S. Hayes High School
Performed by Kyle Kidd
Can't Debate Our Fate
Written by Laverne McLain's 1st Period Class, Max S. Hayes High School
Performed by Bethany Svoboda
Daybreak (finalist)
Written by Kari Beery's 8th Period Class, Mayfield High School
Performed by Bethany Svoboda
Down the Line (finalist)
Written by Dr. Donna Feldman's 3rd Period Class, Cleveland Heights High School
Performed by Charlie Mosbrook
Fight On and See (finalist)
Laverne McLain's 2nd Period Class, Max S. Hayes High School
Performed by Kyle Kidd
Grow Together
Lawton & Lundgard's 7th Period Class, Midview High School
Performed by Brent Kirby
It Has Happened Before
Written by Dr. Donna Feldman's 1st Period Class, Cleveland Heights High School
Performed by Charlie Mosbrook
It's Happening Now
Dr. Donna Feldman's 4th Period Class, Cleveland Heights High School
Performed by Charlie Mosbrook
Love Wins (finalist)
Written by Lawton & Lundgard's 6th Period Class, Midview High School
Performed by Brent Kirby
Oh Yes, We've Got the Right
Written by Laverne McLain's 4th Period Class, Max S. Hayes High School
Performed by Kyle Kidd
Our Pain (finalist)
Laverne McLain's 4th Period Class, Max S. Hayes High School
Performed by Charlie Mosbrook
Peace Amor (finalist)
Written by Keri Waring's Class, International Newcomers Academy
Performed by Charlie Mosbrook
Reality of America
Written by Laverne McLain's 2nd Period Class, Max S. Hayes High School
Performed by Bethany Svoboda
Show Them What You Have
Written by Michael Carlson's Class, International Newcomers Academy
Performed by Charlie Mosbrook
The Bigger Picture
Written by Justin Caithaml's MHS Chorus Class, Midview High School
Performed by Brent Kirby
Waves of Change
Written by Kari Beery's 6th Period Class, Mayfield High School
Performed by Bethany Svoboda
When We Choose to Turn the Page
Written by Terry Barry's Class, International Newcomers Academy
Performed by Charlie Mosbrook
Awards:
Winners in middle and high school categories receive anti-bias education grants:
1st place in both categories receives $3,500 and an invitation to perform at the Rock & Roll Hall of Fame.
2nd place in both categories receives $2,000
Everyone who participates receives recognition:
Participating students & schools receive congratulatory upstander certificates that can be printed.
Teacher of the Year to be named:
New this year, the Museum will present a $1,000 cash prize to the Stop the Hate Youth Sing Out Teacher of the Year for personal commitment to anti-bias education.
All participating schools receive money:
Every Northeast Ohio school within the 12 country radius that participates in a workshop package or uses Stop the Hate learning progression in their classroom is eligible to receive anti-bias education grant money from a pool of $30,000 that will be split evenly.
Sign up to be notified when Stop the Hate winners are announced
