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The Gilder Lehrman Institute of American History, which promotes the study of American partnered with the Hamilton Education Program, to give students a once in a lifetime opportunity to see a free matinee performance of the musical Hamilton. In order to participate students had to study primary and secondary sources from the American Revolution. Based on what they learned, the students created a performance to showcase their knowledge. Once the projects were submitted, only 10 from DCPS high schools and charter schools were selected to perform at the Kennedy Center to an audience of 2400 students teachers and even cast members. Ballou STAY student Janelle Lott performed a spoken-word poem that was written from the perspective of Madison Hemings, the daughter of the enslaved woman Sally Hemings who bore six of Thomas Jefferson’s children. Janelles’s powerful words and emotions were evident on the stage as she was recognized as one of the stand out. performances