Beneath the Oak Tree of My Genius

Poet and composer Daniel L. Mitchell was born December 10th 1992 in Gainesville, Florida. Daniel is the Poetry Out Loud state champion for the state of Florida, and was a highly ranked national participant in the national Poetry Out Loud competition in Washington D.C. (April 2010). Daniel has always had a love for the arts; composing his first piano sonata at age five, and releasing his first album at age 17. Daniel is an accomplished pianist, and composer. He has a passion for the theatrical arts, and hopes to pursue a career in music education, and one day become a music professor at a university. Daniel is currently a senior at Gainesville High School, in Gainesville Florida, and is an AP student, in addition to being dual enrolled at the local college. Daniel has always been fond of reading and writing. His favorite childhood books include No David, and Fly Away Home. Now Daniels favorite books include Ralph Ellisons Invisible Man and "Dreams From My Father" by Barak Obama. Daniel has won various awards for his poetry, and his sophomore year scored a perfect score on the Florida Standardized Writing test. Daniel believes that all art forms can be used to help people better understand each other as well as themselves, and he uses his poetry as a tool in order to inspire people to never give up on their dreams, and to enlighten them concerning the magnitude of the beauty and radiance that they have within.