March 11, 2020

Two 7th-grade students from Jefferson Parish are headed to New York City after winning a rap battle using their wit, skill, and knowledge of American history.

Destanie Bergeron and Makyla Treaudo of Young Audiences Charter School participated in a one-week Hamilton Education course, which combined music and the history of the founding of America. A contest at the end of the program asked students to create and perform a two-minute rap citing primary sources while maintaining historical integrity.

“We are so proud of Destanie and Makyla for their passion for history and creating this amazing historical rap,” said Brandon House, YACS school leader. “Integrating the arts with learning is central to what we do at YACS and these ladies exemplify both intelligence and artistic talent.”

The girls beat out the other 162 YACS students who participated in the program. A video submission of their rap then went on to a national competition with middle and high school students from across the country, naming them Outstanding Performance Winners.

In April, Bergeron and Treaudo will travel to New York City to watch a matinee of the musical, perform their rap on the “Hamilton” stage, meet the cast, and visit the Gilder Lehrman Institute of American History, which promotes education with projects like the Hamilton Education Program.