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“Black Child” was the first poem Terrance Dantzler ever wrote. He was 11 years old at the time and has been writing poetry and music ever since. Through his passion for music and writing, his school song, “Zulu Flow,” was born. One of his teachers wrote that Terrance is “trustworthy and advocates for himself and other students in a way that encourages healthy conversation between young people and adults.” Terrance explained that his writing and music have helped him, “fall in love with words and how we can use them to see into each other’s hearts and minds.” A rap artist, he is working on the production of his fourth album.

A leader inside and outside the classroom, Terrance has taken a rigorous college preparatory curriculum and knows how to balance academics and extracurricular activities. He is president of the Student Government Association and a leader on his school’s football team. “He has been a voice of inspiration for his fellow teammates. He encourages them to work harder academically, and he helps them better understand their classwork,” wrote his teacher. One of Terrance’s favorite classes, Black Thought, explored how people of color are viewed and treated. “This class helped to enhance his voice when speaking about things that are most important to him,” reported another teacher. Terrance writes about defying stereotypes and statistics, declaring, “I have worked to gain all of the knowledge that I can. Since my freshman year, I’ve made it my priority to be in the front row of every class.”

Terrance is eager to pursue courses in preparation for the study of law and, walking in the footsteps of David J. Steiner, his late mentor and award-winning film director, plans to study film in order to continue a legacy of influencing and helping others.