Student Voice Rap Contest 2025-2026: Meet the Winners and Finalists
At Flocabulary, we love connecting with students and hearing what they’re passionate about. Our guiding mission has always been to create learning experiences that are not only academically rigorous but also joyful and reflective of student interests. The Student Voice Rap Contest is one of the ways we get to hear directly from students. It gives them a platform to share their voices and showcase their creativity. The response last year was phenomenal. After reviewing many inspiring entries, we’re excited to announce the winners for Flocabulary’s 2025-2026 school year Student Voice Rap Contest!
What is Flocabulary’s Student Voice Rap Contest?
In fall 2024, we launched the Flocabulary Student Voice Rap Contest. This contest asks students to select a historical figure who had a significant and lasting impact on history and to write lyrics based on this figure. The Student Voice Rap Contest combines our past Hispanic Heritage Month, Black History Month, Nearpod’s Asian American and Pacific Islander Heritage Month contests into one. Previously, our contest winners would see their lessons published in the summer or the following school year. Now, with our streamlined single contest, we can publish the winning lessons within the same school year.
How we pick our winners
The winner selection process for the Student Voice Rap Contest unfolds in two main stages. In the first round of judging, the Flocabulary team evaluates and scores only the written lyrics of each submission using our rubric included in the contest packet. We consider the length of the entry, selection of historical figures, content, and style. The team then selects up to 10 finalists, who are invited to submit performance videos. These videos are reviewed during a second round of judging using a second rubric which focuses on clarity, stage presence, and precision. After this round, two winners are selected: one elementary school student and one secondary school student. Once we have our winners, their submissions are used as inspiration for the Flocabulary team to create a song, video, and lesson based on their selected historical figures.
Student Voice Rap Contest: Meet the winners
Winners: Chloe R. and Lana S. 🎉
Elementary Winner: Chloe R., a 5th grader from California, wrote about Sally Ride
“Her parents always said to follow what you love.
A star so bright, that she knew she was the one.
They told her aim high and shoot for the sky.
She took it literally—in a rocket she would fly.”
A Look into the Historical Figure
In 1977, Sally Ride saw an interesting newspaper ad while eating breakfast one morning. NASA was hoping to find qualified mission specialists for their astronaut program. This was the first time that women could apply. She decided in an instant that she wanted to fly to space.
Ride made history on June 18, 1983, when she became the first American woman to travel to space. As a physicist and astronaut, Ride broke gender barriers, paving the way for women in space and science. Even after leaving NASA, Ride’s dedication to inspiring others didn’t stop. She continued to share her love for science as a physics professor and by writing children’s books.
Secondary Winner: Lana S., a 10th grader from Kentucky, wrote about Temple Grandin
“Taught the world that our minds can’t fit one mold.
She helped allow a more humane planet to unfold.
Her message is clear: ‘Different is right,’
And that every person can shine their own light.”
A Look into the Historical Figure
Temple Grandin is an animal scientist, autism advocate, and professor who transformed the livestock industry and the way we appreciate neurodiversity. Diagnosed with autism, Grandin was different from typical children. Rather than institutionalizing her, as doctors suggested, Grandin’s mother encouraged her interests like drawing, inventing, building, and problem-solving.
Today, Grandin designs humane equipment for livestock, especially cattle, helping farm animals live calmer, more pleasant lives. Grandin has authored books and given speeches about autism, emphasizing the benefits of neurodiversity. To solve the world’s problems, Grandin says, we need different kinds of thinkers, all working together.
Elementary Finalists
Scarlett C., a 4th grader from New York, wrote about the Wright Brothers
Maggie B., a 4th grader from New York, wrote about Jane Goodall
Kyla S., a 5th grader from North Carolina, wrote about Princess Diana
Secondary Finalists
Om K., a 6th grader from California, wrote about Abraham Lincoln
Bailasan A., a 6th grader from Washington, wrote about the Wright Brothers
Alyssa F., an 8th grader from Ohio, wrote about Mansa Musa
Nahla B., an 8th grader from Georgia, wrote about Dred Scott
Zahraa A., an 10th grader from Kentucky, wrote about Marcus Aurelius
Congratulations to all of the Flocabulary contest winners and finalists!
Since 2019, our contests have received over 2,000 submissions total! The learning shouldn’t stop when the contest ends; these themes and topics enrich cross-curricular learning all year round. Keep the conversation going by exploring the Flocabulary historical figures topic page to get inspired for this fall!