Charles and Julia England Foundation supports poetry initiative in Lexington City Schools
Lexington City Schools will launch a districtwide poetry and arts initiative in the spring of 2026, made possible through the support of the Charles and Julia England Foundation, with additional backing from the Bert and Carol May family and other community supporters. According to the foundation, funds are currently being raised to cover the full cost of the program.
The initiative will bring nationally recognized poet Phillip Shabazz into classrooms across the district to work directly with students, elevating student voice, creativity and self-expression through the arts.
Beginning in February 2026, Shabazz will spend a full week at each of Lexington City Schools’ three elementary schools, working with every fourth- and fifth-grade classroom. Students will take part in poetry workshops focused on storytelling, identity and the power of words, while building confidence in expressing their ideas and lived experiences.
In addition to the elementary school residencies, Shabazz will also work with middle and high school poetry club students during afternoon sessions. Those sessions will emphasize mentorship, creative collaboration and cross-grade learning, allowing students to learn from one another while strengthening a shared culture of artistic expression across the district.
The initiative will culminate in a community-centered anthology and arts celebration. Families, educators and community members will be invited to experience original poetry and artwork created by students across grade levels. The anthology will feature work from fourth- and fifth-grade students alongside poems from middle and high school writers, capturing how students across the district see their world and express themselves through words and art.
“This project is critical for our students because the arts give them language for who they are and what they are experiencing,” said Leigh Jones, Chief Academic Officer for Lexington City Schools. “By involving our high school students alongside our elementary learners we are creating a powerful shared experience that values student voice mentorship and artistic expression across all grade levels.”
Jones said the initiative reflects the district’s commitment to helping students Thrive in the Hive, encouraging them to Be Somebody and supporting them as they continue leveling up academically, creatively and personally.
“We are incredibly grateful to the Charles and Julia England Foundation for their continued investment in our students and our community,” Jones said. “Their support makes it possible for us to elevate the arts, bring meaningful learning experiences into our classrooms and celebrate creativity in ways that will stay with our students long after this project ends.”
According to the foundation, the Charles and Julia England Foundation was established to show community support for Lexington City Schools’ efforts to provide creative learning opportunities for students. The foundation honors the legacy of Charles and Julia England, both of whom were educators in the Lexington City School system for more than a combined 50 years and were widely known as impactful community leaders.
Board member John Burke describes Coach Charles England as an inspiration at Lexington Senior High School and was known for encouraging students to “Be Somebody.” His wife, Julia England, was affectionately referred to as “Mother to All,” serving children at South Lexington, Grimes, Pickett and Dunbar Intermediate schools. Both were successful educators prior to integration, serving at Dunbar and South Lexington schools, respectively.
According to the foundation, the Englands, along with many other dedicated public educators, represent what is right in education through their ability to build relationships, grow minds and love children of all backgrounds.
“CJEF with the support of Bert and Carol May family and other community donors is excited to help fund the district wide poetry program with Mr. Shabaz. We are thankful for Lexington City Schools efforts to tap into student expressionism to support core competencies through arts integration. We must assure continued support for art forms that are key to developing essential skills such as critical thinking, collaboration, and problem-solving,” said John Burke, chair of the Charles and Julia England Foundation.
Tentative elementary school dates for the residency include Feb. 23–27, 2026, at Pickett Elementary; March 2–6, 2026, at Charles England Elementary; and March 23–27, 2026, at Southwest Elementary. During his time in Lexington, Shabazz will also spend at least two afternoons working with middle and high school poetry club students and planning the culminating community anthology event. Additional details about the anthology showcase and community celebration will be shared as planning continues.
Shabazz is a poet, writer and educator whose work bridges youth mentorship, social justice and the arts. He has served as a poet-in-the-schools across North Carolina and has conducted creative writing workshops in more than 800 public and private schools. He has been a visiting writer at numerous colleges and institutions and was Duke University’s third Artist-in-Residence at the Mary Lou Williams Center for Black Culture. He is the author of four poetry collections, including Moonflower (2025), and his work has appeared in national anthologies and literary journals.
“This project, bringing poetry lessons to all 4th and 5th grade students, is profoundly important to me because poetry is the most essential tool for teaching precise language and deep self-awareness,” Shabazz said.
“For me, this residency is the realization of a core belief: that early exposure to poetry lays the foundation for lifelong critical thinking and emotional literacy,” Shabazz said. “To be able to guide young students as they discover the power of their own internal language is an immense privilege. I am committed to making sure every child, regardless of background, has the chance to use poetry as a lens for seeing the world and themselves with greater clarity and compassion. I am deeply excited to see the wonderful, unique voices that emerge from the 4th and 5th grades this year.”
Donations to support the initiative can be made online through PayPal or by check payable to CJEF at P.O. Box 1094, Welcome, NC 27374. According to the foundation, CJEF is a 501(c)(3) organization, and 100 percent of donations go directly to the program, as the foundation has no paid staff. More information is available at www.besomebodyfund.com or by emailing besomebodyfund@gmail.com.
