Teen Poet Shines at National Debate Stage | Chicago News

Jordan Lee, a standout from Southland College Prep Charter High School, stunned the National Speech and Debate Tournament by landing third place in both Poetry and Original Spoken Word—making history as the first student from her school to reach finals in multiple events. Her powerful piece, “Ain’t Finna a Word,” dissected the weight of racial stereotypes and code-switching, drawing from her own life navigating different speech worlds—from country clubs to DMVs. She dedicated the performance to young Black women, urging them to own their stories. Her coach, Cheryl Frazier, praised her for centering authentic voices, especially for students of color. While she qualified in Dramatic Interpretation, it was these supplemental events where Lee truly shone. After a grueling five-day competition in Richmond, she was physically drained but triumphant. The school’s delegation of five marked its largest yet, reflecting the program’s explosive growth from six students to 30-40 annually—focused on building lifelong communication skills. Support the show:Get a discount at https://solipillow.com/discount/dnn. Advertise on DNN:[email protected] This is an automated, high-level news summary based on public reporting.Report issues to [email protected]. View sources & latest updates:https://sources.thednn.ai/25142a9a162ca03a