My grandfather is Edward Kennedy Ellington, better known as Duke Ellington. I never met my grandfather, but I’ve heard a lot about him. He was a famous musician from Washington D.C., who played many genres of music. He was also a composer. The school I go to is named after him.

Hi! I’m DAISY. I was named after my great-grandmother Daisy Kennedy Ellington. I am 15 years old, and I’m in the theater department at Duke Ellington School of the Arts. I also got accepted into the instrumental music department for guitar, but I preferred the theater department. I have brother named James, he’s a ninth grader in instrumental music, he plays the violin. Everyone in my family plays an instrument, so everyone was very surprised when I chose to be in the theater department instead of instrumental music. I guess i just wanted to be different.