The Washington Informer

The Washington Informer

Black News, Commentary and Culture | The Washington Informer

Winners of the 2023 Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. Essay Contest

' src=

Share this:

  • Click to share on Facebook (Opens in new window)
  • Click to share on Twitter (Opens in new window)
  • Click to share on LinkedIn (Opens in new window)
  • Click to email a link to a friend (Opens in new window)

Martin Luther King Jr. addresses a crowd from the steps of the Lincoln Memorial where he delivered his famous, "I Have a Dream," speech during the Aug. 28, 1963, march on Washington, D.C.

Sign up to stay connected

Get the top stories of the day around the DMV.

  • WIN Daily Start your weekdays right with the most recent stories from the Washington Informer website. Once a day Monday-Friday.
  • JPMorgan Chase Money Talks Presented with JPMorgan Chase, this financial education series is dedicated to bridging the racial wealth gap. Let's embark on a journey of healthy financial conversations together. Bi-Monthly.
  • Our House D.C. Dive deep into our monthly exploration of the challenges and rewards of Black homeownership. Monthly.
  • Deals & Offers Exclusive perks, updates, and events from The Washington Informer partners just for you.

The MLK Holiday DC Committee, in partnership with the Mayor’s Youth Leadership Institute Alumni Association and community partners, presents the winners of the Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. Essay Contest 2023. Over 100 D.C. elementary, middle and high school students wrote essays addressing: What does Dr. King’s “Dream” mean to you? And the winners are…

What the “I Have A Dream” Speech Means to Me

mlk jr essay contest

Thane Frederick

Breakthrough Montessori PCS, 5th Grade, Ward 4 Resident

When I think of the “I Have A Dream” speech, I think of a wish, or a hope that things will get better. Martin Luther King Jr. said, “Five score years ago, a great American, in whose shadow we stand today, signed the Emancipation Proclamation.” Later, King goes on to talk about how Black men and women are still not free.

I think when MLK said, “I have a dream,” it meant that he wanted everyone to take the final step. They took the first step to end slavery. He wants people to take the final step to end segregation and to end unfair laws for Black men and women.

The “I Have a Dream” Speech means to me that Black men and women have a wish that they can be free; a wish that they won’t just be free but will be free of unfair laws. When MLK made his speech about unfair laws, things were different. Black men and women were separated from white men and women and had different schools, neighborhoods, stores, and restrooms. One of the really bad things was that the stuff for the Black men and women was not nearly as good or fancy as the stuff that was for the white men and women.

From my personal experience, I never had this problem. First because those laws have been mostly resolved, and second because even if those laws had not been dealt with by now, I would not have had to deal with it because of my skin color. I would not have a complete perspective of the other side of the page.

Something that would make King happy right now is that, he said, “I have dream that Black boys and black girls will play with white boys and white girls,” and in my life that part of his dream has been fulfilled. In my school, I have a very diverse class with a lot of Black and white kids that play together.

Even though all of this has been said, we still have more to work on, like the fact that Black and white people are sometimes paid differently, even if they’re doing the exact same job, or the fact that Black people get shot more than white people.

We can use MLK as inspiration to keep going. We shouldn’t just stop here. You and I can make a difference by going to peaceful protests, or just being nice in general.

mlk jr essay contest

Nathan Goulbourne Williams

Brookland Middle School, 6th Grade, Ward 7 Resident

Dr. Martin Luther King Jr.’s iconic “I Have a Dream” speech of August 28, 1963, is one of the most well-known and impactful pieces of American history. In it, he outlines his vision of an America in which all individuals are judged not by the color of their skin but instead by the content of their character. He outlines a new America in which the civil rights of all races and genders are respected and upheld, and his iconic closing words encapsulate his dream: “Free at last, free at last, thank God Almighty, we are free at last!”

The dream has not changed from its original 1963 conception — that is, a nation in which all people are truly equal in the eyes of not just the law, but also in the eyes of society. This goes beyond simply legal equality, as unfortunately there are still many instances in which racial prejudice persists and will continue until tangible action is taken to stop it.

“The Dream” then was a call to action to fight systemic racism and economic injustice, while the Dream now is focused on dismantling oppressive systems and achieving equity and inclusion. We have seen progress since 1963 with more people of color, particularly Black people, gaining access to higher education and socioeconomic opportunities. At the same time, we have yet to fully realize “The Dream.” Racism and racial discrimination continue to threaten the ideals of equality, equity, inclusion, and justice for all. The recent civil unrest across the country due to police brutality has exposed the reality that “The Dream “still has many miles to go before it is realized.

Achieving this dream, however, is not an easy feat and will take the collective social and political efforts of individuals from all levels of society. It requires us to confront our biased notions of those different from us and have meaningful conversations rooted in trust and understanding. It requires us to challenge injustice when we see it being committed by someone within or outside of our community, and to create an environment of true respect and appreciation for all individuals regardless of race, ethnicity, gender, or creed. It is through these efforts that we move even closer to realizing the dream envisioned by Martin Luther King Jr.

In addition to acting individually, we must also act collectively and strive to support those

in government, companies, or other organizations that are actively making an effort to bring about a more equal and just America. This may include but is not limited to supporting legislation to end police brutality, working together to close the widening wealth gap, and ensuring that access to quality education and healthcare is made available to all people. Each of these steps can go a long way in helping to ensure that the dream Martin Luther King spoke of is achieved and less discrimination against races Martin Luther King Jr. was an African American leader in the U.S.

He [Dr. King] lost his life while performing a peaceful protest for the betterment of Blacks in America. His real name was Michael King Jr. He was among one of the great men who dedicated their life for the community.

Ultimately, there is still much more work to be done to fulfill the dream that Martin Luther King Jr. shared in 1963. And for us to reach a place of safety and acceptance for all our citizens, it is essential that we continue to push for change that is rooted in justice and equality for all.

Those of us who have the power to make an impact must use it to help bring about a future in which every person is respected and appreciated for the content of their character and treated equally. Only then can we live in a world where the King’s dream is fully realized. Therefore, we have many more things to understand, and we all have different opinions on things, but this should not be a problem although black people are not the only race that has been discriminated against and not paid well.

mlk jr essay contest

Justice Turner

Landon School 11th Grade, Ward 4 Resident

Have you ever desired something so profoundly, that you attempted to do the impossible to achieve your aspiration? If so, you can relate to the legendary, noble and renowned Martin Luther King Jr., who is embedded in our history.

Martin Luther King had one primary “Dream” in life, which was to eradicate all forms of discrimination, and oppression against African Americans and other minorities. To fight racism, King led a successful non-violent movement against an entire system ruled by a long history of oppression and intimidation. What Martin Luther King did was unimaginable, because most people who opposed racism were too afraid to fight. They witnessed lynchings, beatings, and other horrors of the times committed against African Americans and chose to stay quiet, but not King. King’s achievements made him one of the most well-respected African Americans in history.

As a young leader, the dream that Martin Luther King Jr. spoke about in 1963 continues to be a source of inspiration for me. To me, the dream represents the idea that all people, regardless of their race or background, should be treated with respect, dignity, and equality. It means that everyone should have the opportunity to live a full and prosperous life, free from discrimination and prejudice.

Thanks to King and a few other brave freedom fighters, over time there has been the increasingly better treatment of minorities, especially African Americans. Although we have seen improvements, the problems of the day revolve around racial profiling, police brutality, marginalization, and continuing unjust treatment of African Americans. Both African Americans and White Americans are equally responsible for ending this problem. We, as African Americans are going to have to do a better job to get rid of negative stigmas about our race by working better as a community. This is going to include stopping all the black-on-black violence, gun violence, and all irresponsible behaviors. We must do just as MLK did, to fight injustice with non-violent wisdom.

Martin Luther King Jr. (MLK) was an American Baptist minister and civil rights activist who played a key role in the American civil rights movement. He is best known for his role in the advancement of civil rights using nonviolent civil disobedience based on his Christian beliefs.

MLK was born on January 15, 1929, in Atlanta, Georgia, and was assassinated on April 4, 1968, in Memphis, Tennessee. He is remembered each year on Martin Luther King Jr. Day, a U.S. federal holiday. Martin Luther King Jr. was important because he was a leader in the civil rights movement, which sought to end racial segregation and discrimination against African Americans in the United States. Through his leadership, activism, and inspiring message of nonviolence, he helped to bring about major changes in the laws and attitudes of American society.

MLK’s advocacy for civil rights and social justice inspired people around the world and he is widely considered one of the greatest figures in American history. Muhammed Gandhi was Martin Luther Kings inspiration for doing unimaginable things he did. They both shared the same concept of non-violence, which was revolutionary, because of how it changed the way white people looked at African Americans. Martin Luther King looked up to Mr. Gandhi as a source of inspiration to better his methods of nonviolence and share similar ideologies (Stanford University).

Even though Gandhi had an entirely different situation than MLK, they both used the same tactics to achieve a similar end goal. With this new concept of nonviolence emerged a brand-new type of protesting. The peaceful protest was the epicenter of how African Americans were able to express their inner beliefs and thoughts on the discrimination drawback (“Repression of Peaceful Protest”).

Regarding my viewpoint on the subject, essentially, I agree with all of MLK’s philosophies and beliefs. When I hear the word dream, I think of someone’s desire to achieve something in the distant future. However, these dreams could all be attainable if one puts their mind to them, and work hard for whatever it is that they desire.

Me, I have many dreams that I desire to accomplish by the end of my life, and reflecting on King’s fight, makes me know that my dreams are attainable as well. Me being a youth leader automatically gives me the responsibility to go above and beyond in my community. When looking at the MLK Jr. “I have a Dream” speech on YouTube, shows the immense support MLK had when delivering his speech (SullenToys.com).

MLK had a huge following of people, because of how powerful of a person he was. When I look back, I simply wonder if MLK could have accomplished his “dream” without the immense support of everyone that put their lives on the line to help him. People were constantly at risk of going to peaceful protests with groups like the KKK lurking at every corner (History.com Editors). It really shows the unity that was involved in this “dream” making it not MLK’s “dream” but rather our “dream.” Looking at King’s support, makes me realize that I am not in this fight alone. I must use those around me. “Two heads are better than One!”

MLK’s dream was a motivating factor for every African American citizen to help end this racial injustice that was present in all of America. King broke barriers so we would not have to break them again.

To me, the dream is a representation of all Black people and our aspiration for a better tomorrow. The overall philosophy of our dream has not changed much since the 1900s. We still desire equality!

The present-day dream of equality needs to be focused on racial profiling that is present in the United States, which leads to hate crimes against minority groups. A prime example in recent times was the killing of George Floyd, which was seen as police brutality against African Americans. The New York Times talks about how George passed away because an officer kneeled on his neck. This is merely one of the many examples of present-day racism.

There are also several issues that are hindering the victory of the dream. One of these is the ongoing problem of systemic racism, which affects many aspects of society and can be difficult to address. Additionally, there are those who oppose the idea of the dream and seek to maintain the status quo of inequality and discrimination. It is important for those of us who support the dream to stand up against these forces and work towards creating a more just and equal society.

To conclude, the dream that Martin Luther King Jr. spoke about in 1963 remains a powerful and inspiring vision for a better world. While there has been progress toward achieving it, there is still much work to be done. By taking action to address issues of inequality and injustice and working towards creating a more inclusive and equitable society, we can continue to move closer to realizing the dream for all people. This means taking action to address issues such as racial and social injustice, economic inequality, and prejudice against marginalized groups. It also means educating ourselves and others about these issues and advocating for change in our communities to attain the dream, we must continue to work towards creating a more inclusive and equitable society.

Specifically related to me, I still believe there is much work that needs to be done present day, to create a better tomorrow. Specifically, we as African Americans need to create a better image of ourselves rather than sit and complain when we are being discriminated against. Unfortunately, over the years some of us have painted ourselves in a way that doesn’t represent Martin Luther King’s dream.

Personally, my “dream” is to walk down the street without being seen as a “threat” to others because of the color of my skin. Fortunately for us, we have today and tomorrow to change this identity. We must not sit back and wait for a leader. We must realize that WE are that leader. I must be the one to create change! I must be the Dream!

Leave a comment

Your email address will not be published. Required fields are marked *

2024 Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr. Scholarship Essay Contest

A total of *$27,500 in scholarship awards will be presented to eight finalists:

  • 1st Place receives  $10,000
  • 2nd Place receives  $7,500
  • 3rd Place receives  $5,000

*Awards of $1,000 will be presented to five honorable mentions.

Essay Contest Rules & Eligibility  

The 2024 Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr. Essay Contest is open to high school seniors attending a City of Dallas high school. These Scholarships are to help defray the cost of tuition, books, room and board, etc. Winners will be required to submit a short video of their scholarship acceptance and will be formally recognized at the Martin Luther King, Jr. Scholarship & Awards Gala on Saturday, January 13, 2024 .

Submission Deadline:

December 1, 2023

Apply Online:

http://bit.ly/MLKScholarship24

Download Flyer

Incomplete applications WILL NOT be considered. Prior scholarship winners are ineligible to apply.

2024 Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr. Celebration Week

In January 2024, the City of Dallas will host its 41st annual celebration of the life and legacy of Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr. with a weeks’ worth of events highlighting issues of equity, diversity, and opportunity. The week will include a Day of Prayer, a Day of Service, a Wreath Laying Ceremony, Job Fair, Equity Symposium, Youth Summit, and Scholarship & Awards Gala. Celebration week will culminate with the annual Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr. Day Parade.

Click here to learn more about 2024 MLK Celebration Week!

Share this:

Home

Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. Contest

Public school k-12 student essay and visual art contest.

2024 Contest Materials (pdf)

The Missouri NEA Human Rights Committee is sponsoring the 2024 Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. Essay and Visual Art Contest for K-12 public school students. The theme for the 2024 contest is "Leadership and Service." Students are being asked to reflect on the qualities of leadership and service that were exemplified by Dr. King, and how they can apply those qualities to their own lives. 

Winners are determined in six categories based on grade level. 

  • Grades K-2 and 3-5: Written essay with a poster
  • Grades 6-8 and 9-12: Written essay
  • Grades 6-8 and 9-12: Visual Art (spoken word, poem, song, drawing/digital media)

 A certificate and gift card is awarded to each first-place ($75), second-place ($50), and third-place ($30) winner in the five categories. The teachers of winning students will receive one $30 gift card. 

An MNEA-affiliated local association must host the initial contest and submit first-, second-, and third-place winning posters in any or all of the six categories (up to 18 entries per local association). Entries must meet all the qualifying criteria to be judged at the state level. See the informational packet for details. 

Entries achieving finalist status should then be mailed or hand-delivered to Missouri NEA Headquarters, Attn: Roxane Bly, 1810 E Elm Street, Jefferson City, MO 65101.

All final entries must be received by MNEA no later than Jan. 15. Late entries will not be judged.

Contest winners will be announced at the Spring MNEA Representative Assembly . Winners will receive certificates and gift cards soon thereafter.  Questions?  Contact Lisa Blaha, MNEA UniServ Director at  [email protected]  or (636) 614-7501, Roxane Bly at  [email protected]  or (573) 644-9606.

2023 Winners

1st place Meenakshi Raj Parkway School District

MLK contest poster winner 2022

2nd place Dhaksha Thayalan Parkway School District

MLK contest poster winner 2023

3rd place Maxwell Schneider Pattonville School District

MLK contest poster winner 2023

1st place Grace Jones North Kansas City School District

MLK contest poster winner 2023

2nd place William Purnell Pattonville School District

MLK contest poster winner 2023

 3rd place  Donald McCullough Pattonville School District

MLK contest poster winner 2023

3rd place Emily Kraft Meramec Valley School District

MLK contest poster winner 203

Grades 9-12

MLK contest poster winner 2023

Not awarded in 2023

  • Mission, Vision, History
  • MNEA Resolutions
  • Executive Officers
  • Board of Directors
  • State Committees
  • Headquarters Staff Directory
  • Regional Office Staff Directory
  • Local Affiliates
  • Teachers & Certified Staff
  • Education Support Professionals
  • Higher Education Professionals
  • MNEA-Retired
  • Aspiring Educators Association
  • Educators Rising Association
  • NEA's Read Across America
  • American Education Week
  • Education Support Professionals Day
  • Teacher Appreciation Week
  • School Nurse Day
  • Women’s History & Diversity Months
  • At the Capitol
  • At the State Board of Education
  • At PSRS/PEERS
  • MNEA Learns - Online Learning Library
  • Beginning Teacher Assistance
  • National Board Certification Assistance
  • Educators Rising Conference
  • Student Loan Forgiveness Workshops
  • Retirement Preparation Workshops
  • Leadership Training and Rep Assemblies
  • Graduate Course Offerings
  • Want to be a teacher? Sign up for TeachMO
  • Webinars & Recorded Trainings
  • Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. Poster Essay Contest
  • CHEER Grant
  • Tuition Grant
  • The NEA Foundation Grants & Global Learning Fellowship
  • Cochran Education Major Scholarship
  • Educators Rising Scholarship
  • Gilbert Balderrama Minority Scholarship
  • Jack Kinnaman Scholarship
  • Karlovetz-Favero Scholarship
  • Public Relations Grant
  • Student-Centered Bargaining and Advocacy Grant
  • More Grants & Scholarships
  • Elections & Candidate Recommendations
  • $4 Million Professional Liability
  • Legal Advocacy Webinar Series
  • Legal Advocacy Flyer Series
  • Frequently Asked Questions
  • Legal Notices & Articles
  • Contact Your UniServ Director
  • Collective Bargaining & Organizing
  • Attorney Referral Program
  • MNEA Learning Portal
  • Professional Development & Training
  • Certified Staff
  • Support Staff
  • Start Smart Teacher Handbook
  • ESSA Toolkit
  • NEA’s School Crisis Guide
  • Classroom Tools & Certificates
  • Parents & Students
  • Earn up to nine graduate credits for $200!
  • Earn Micro-Credentials with NEA's Professional Learning Communities
  • Earn your degree at Columbia College
  • Cell Phone Discounts
  • Theme Parks, Entertainment & Sports
  • Travel & Dining
  • Shopping & Classroom Supplies
  • Investing & Retirement
  • Group Insurance & AAA
  • Identity Theft Protection
  • NEA Member Benefits
  • My Deals Mobile App
  • My Deals Website
  • NEA's Complimentary Life Insurance
  • Something Better Magazine
  • NEA Today Magazine
  • In the Loop E-newsletter
  • Legislative Update
  • MNEA Connects Podcast
  • State Board & MACCE Reports
  • PSRS/PEERS Board Report
  • Salary Research
  • Focus MNEA-Retired Newsletter
  • The Paraprofessional Connection
  • Leaders’ Update
  • Missouri NEA Mobile App
  • Membership Update
  • Take Action: Your Voice Matters
  • Attend Capitol Action Days
  • Make a Contribution
  • Make a Political Contribution
  • Attend Trainings & Conferences
  • Horace Mann Friend of Education Awards
  • Leila Medley Quality Local Association Award
  • Lorna Bottger Award for Individual Excellence in Political Action
  • Membership Pacesetter Awards
  • Shirley Cromer Leadership Award
  • Soar with the Eagles Award
  • Subscribe to Email Listservs
  • Timeline for Action, Bylaws, & Forms
  • NEA Representative Assembly
  • MNEA Representative Assembly (spring)
  • MNEA-Retired Business Meetings
  • MNEA Summer Leadership
  • MNEA Collective Bargaining Conference
  • Recorded Leader Trainings
  • Membership Materials
  • Organizing Campaigns
  • Communication Tools - Logos, Websites, Tablecloths & Templates
  • MNEA Photos
  • Political Toolkits & Guides
  • CompTracker
  • SurveyMonkey
  • SIGN-IN eDUES
  • SIGN-IN MNEA
  • SIGN-IN NEAMB

MLK Celebration Sacramento

Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr. Celebration

Pictured are the 2021 Essay Contest Winners with the Honorable Judge Vance Raye who presented the winners their awards.

Congratulations to the 2021 MLK Essay Contest Winners.

We are very pleased to announce the winners of the 8th annual Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. Essay Contest in conjunction with the MLK Celebration event. The essay contest was created to further engage our youth with Dr. King's legacy, his vision, and leadership that inspired a nation.  The 2021 MLK Essay Contest Theme: With COVID-19 Health guidelines in mind, describe an injustice that you see in today’s society and what you can do to address the issue and advancement of John Lewis’ call to action. High School Hang Trinh , West Campus High School (Sacramento City Unified) - 1st Place Briseyda Olivares Rodriguez , Foothill High School (Twin Rivers Unified) - 2nd Place Ben-Israel Gurjar, Hiram W. Johnson High School (Sacramento City Unified) - 3rd Place

Middle School Jack Simon , Merryhill Midtown Sacramento - 1st Place Miles Scaife , Harriet G. Eddy Middle School (Elk Grove Unified) - 2nd Place Sofia Zotov , Martin Luther King Jr. Technology Academy (Twin Rivers Unified) - 3rd Place

High School Division Hang Trinh, 1st Place High School Division

In today’s society, adults often experience various forms of injustice at work and in public. Likewise, children also undergo injustice in the form of bullying at school. In the case of bullying, an individual with more power unfairly harms one who is more vulnerable. In primary school, while waiting for my parents, I witnessed a scenario where an older student picked on a younger student. Witnessing the unjust act, I told myself that I could not remain silent even if it meant involving myself in trouble. Thus, I intervened and explained to the older boy how his actions could profoundly hurt the younger boy. Taking in my words, the older boy understood and quietly walked away. The younger boy then headed towards me with a relieved face, embraced, and thanked me.

At home, I told my parents the story. Coming to my cousins’ house, I told them the same story and the injustice behind bullying. By talking to my cousins, I realized that I have the power to influence others to end such an act of injustice. From there, whenever witnessing bullying scenarios, I step in and intervene. When interacting with younger kids, I inform them about bullying and its consequences.

Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr. and Congressman John Lewis selflessly risked their lives to advocate for equality. As I support their mission through the simple acts of continuing to intervene in bullying scenarios and spreading the word, I hope that you can join me in ending bullying as well as other acts of injustice. Amid this health crisis, remember to practice social distancing and put on your mask before taking action! Together, humanity can further Dr. King, John Lewis, and other heroic activists’ mission in promoting equality. May the end of injustice come in the near future.

Briseyda Olivares Rodriguez,  2nd Place, High School Division “Never be afraid to make some good noise and good trouble, necessary trouble.” John  Lewis’s famous words resonate with me as I reflect deeply on a human injustice that is often  overlooked: “modern-day slavery,” or human trafficking. The first time I was exposed to human  trafficking was a few weeks ago in my health class. I learned that millions of vulnerable people  are forced or brainwashed into having sex, being an object of pornography, or doing labor for  traffickers’ profit. Many are oblivious to this issue because it is not addressed as frequently as it  should be.    California and Florida require human trafficking education in schools but I think that this  should be a nationwide requirement. I followed Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. and John Lewis’s  teachings about taking action in the hope of making this a reality. I wrote to the U.S. Department  of Education to propose a law requiring human trafficking education in our nation’s schools. The  law should say that all schools need a set program to teach students in middle school and high  school about human trafficking, how to identify signs, and where to seek help. I am confident  that this will increase safety in our country, save people’s lives, encourage other countries to act,  and bring us one step closer to change. I truly hope that they find potential in this law and send it to Congress. I also motivated my school’s Friday Night Live Club to add human trafficking  information to the many issues we raise awareness about on social media. I firmly believe that it  is my duty to bring attention to this injustice in as many ways as possible. I am a small person in  a huge world but I know that these small steps can help us abolish this injustice. 

Ben-Israel Gurjar , 3rd Place High School Division

An injustice we see every day is racism. Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. and John Lewis played their part to end it, and in 1964 the civil rights law superseded all state and local laws requiring segregation. Yet racism never really ended. It was removed from the system but not from the hearts of people. We see it every day, everywhere, inside the walls of the court, employment, neighborhood, shops, workplace, and public transports.

The incident with George Floyd proved that we weren’t far from step one. There was still a long way to go in this fight against racism. John Lewis encouraged non-violence and peaceful protests, but how can you fight something that is hidden? You cannot see inside someone’s heart.

The first step you can take to stop this is to teach your children. Children are like empty vessels. You choose what to fill them with. They will follow the path you show them. Show your children the right path, so when they are old, they may not depart from it.

Step two is to stand up. Racism is hard to spot. If you see it, stand up and don’t be afraid. Do what is right, even if you have to do it alone. There is no neutral side in this war. If you are silent, then you are just part of the problem.

Step three is to stop judging an entire race depending on one person’s action. Learn to see, without seeing the race. Taking these steps is how we will shape the future that we can all look forward to. A future where people will not be judged by their race but by their character. In that, Dr. King’s dream will be fulfilled. 

Middle School Jack Simon, 1st  Place Middle School Division

Since the importation of African slaves early in America’s history, an implicit bias of Black Americans was created. Currently, racism appears as violent killings of unarmed African American men and women. Additionally, the struggle to get necessary PPE to Black Americans to survive the Covid-19 pandemic safely is a symptom of racism. Racism has sparked mostly peaceful protests across our country like the Black Lives Matter movement.

Today, racism continues to be an injustice, which is commonly fought within peaceful protests. The Covid-19 pandemic was just appearing in the US when the news of the killing of Ahmaud Aubrey surfaced. He was simply on a jog when he was shot by two white males in a pickup truck. In the summer, an iPhone video was released of three police officers on top of George Floyd, which resulted in his death. There were large marches to honor George Floyd and for people to voice their opinions about systemic racism in America. With Covid-19 roaring, the protests of George Floyd’s death against racism set an example of peaceful and safe protests. Many protestors wore masks and other PPE, setting an example for others to stand up for what is right, but also to protect fellow Americans. Just like MLK and John Lewis, peaceful and safe protests are the key to fixing what is wrong in our country.

T he legalization of gay marriage and other LGBTQ+ rights resulted from peaceful protests. What I can do to combat racism is to attend peaceful protests and other forums against racism. The countless protests against the killings of unarmed black men and women have led to laws being created to outlaw chokehold and no-knock warrants. Therefore, I should join peaceful and safe protests to combat racism in my community.

Miles Scaife, 2nd Place Middle School Division "You must be bold, brave, and courageous and find a way... to get in the way." This quote by John Lewis is something that everyone should try to live up to. He preached “get in trouble, necessary trouble” without violence just like Martin Luther King, Jr., and they both fought to end legalized racial segregation. He had extraordinary courageousness and leadership that helped with several protests to uphold the rights of colored US citizens. If we try to live up to John Lewis’s great words, then we should start small and work our way up to something bigger. Something small during these tough times would be interacting with lonely elderly people. There are multiple things that we can do to help in this small problem, but there are some that are more effective than others.

One way we can help elderly people during these tough times is to send them cards or video chat with them. For example, recently my grandpa was stuck in the hospital for 5 days, and for half of the time he was there he had no glasses, no way to contact anyone outside of the hospital and no entertainment. One could imagine that this is pretty lonely. My mom would make us call him everyday to check up on him and see if he’s okay, even if we didn’t want to. In the end, we made him feel a lot better since we interacted with him. If we just put a little joy in elderly people’s hearts by talking to them, then we can make them feel better. If we continue to follow the path of people like John Lewis or Martin Luther King, Jr., then we will fulfill a lot in life. The world would change for the better and people would act differently.

Sofia Zotov, 3rd  Place Middle School Division

In July 2018, John Lewis sent out a tweet with the hashtag #goodtrouble. Lewis stated, “When you see something that is not right, not fair, not just, you have to speak up. You have to say something; you have to do something.” Lewis epitomizes this and encourages us to not be silent. Lewis taught us persistence. He taught us that when a person has transformative ideas, they should not taper those ideas. Instead, they should push those ideas until others get on board. This is what John Lewis meant by #goodtrouble. Lewis also teaches us that age is nothing but a number and that young people have to be the change they want to see by pushing for equitable change, even if it means informing and standing up to older generations.

One person that has been encouraging me and teaching me to get into good trouble is my mother. The reason I chose my mother was because she always finds a way to connect and encourage me when I make a mistake. My mother always told me “No matter how tough the world is, never give up and to always forgive and always forget”. What my mother meant is that we are living in a very dangerous time right now. Even though it is tough right now, because of her advice, I will never give up. This world is dangerous and unpredictable, especially since there is a lot of harassment and racism between many people. Since Covid-19 started, people are starting to forget that America is a free country with a lot of opportunities. These include the voices of the young people to stand up and take charge. I am glad to have a mother that can speak to me and help me make the right decisions in my life.

Essay Contest Sponsored By

Alcalay Communications, Governors Inn Hotel and The Sacramento County Office of Education

mlk jr essay contest

STUDENT ESSAY CONTEST

The Martin Luther King Jr., Holiday Committee of Washington, DC in partnership with the Mayor’s Youth Leadership Institute Alumni Association and our Community Partners have joined together to sponsor The Annual Dr. Martin Luther King Jr., Essay Contest.

mlk jr essay contest

Presented by: Mayor’s Youth Leadership Institute Alumni Association

View essay contest rules and submission instructions below before getting started. ALL students must UPLOAD their essays via a .WORD DOC or a .PDF

Essay Topic

“ Bending Toward Truth and Justice “

Elementary School Essay Prompt:

Identify two problems in your neighborhood or community and what would you do to solve those problems.

Middle School and High School Essay Prompt

What solutions would you offer to bring peace to our city? What would be the role of young people in your solutions?

Word Requirements:

Elementary 4th-5th  |  250-500 words Middle  6th-8th  |  500-700 words High School 9th-12th  |  700-1,000 words

SUBMISSION DEADLINE:

SATURDAY, DECEMBER 16, 2023 at 11:00 PM

 Email Questions and Concerns ONLY to: [email protected]

ESSAY WRITING SUPPORT!

The 5 Step Essay Writing Process That Will Help You Write Better Papers

  • Step 1: Determine your purpose for writing the paper. …
  • Step 2: Write down everything and anything about your topic. …
  • Step 3: Organize your thoughts. …
  • Step 4: Start writing, then take a step back. …
  • Step 5: Grade your own paper.

Essay Topic Support Videos & Essay Writing Assistance Links

  • High School Writing Link – https://form.jotform.com/MYLIAA/2024-mlk-jr-dc-essay-contest—HS
  • Middle School Writing Link – https://form.jotform.com/MYLIAA/2024-mlk-jr-dc-essay-contest—MS
  • Elementary School Writing Link – https://form.jotform.com/MYLIAA/2024-mlk-jr-dc-essay-contest—elem

Essay Contest Rules and Submission Instructions

Contestants must be a DC Resident and a student attending a Public School, Charter School or Private/Parochial School.

  Essay Contest word count submissions for each contestant group will be:

  • Elementary School Students Grades 4 and 5 a minimum of 250 and a maximum of 500 words
  • Middle School Students Grades 6, 7 and 8 a minimum of 500 and a maximum of 700 words
  • High School Students Grades 9, 10, 11 and 12 a minimum of 700 and a maximum of 1,000 words
  • Submissions must be original work that has been produced or created by the contestant.
  • We ask that all contestants include their name, school, grade and e-mail address (if you have one) with your essay submission.
  • All essay contest winners will be requested to provide a short biography and a picture that could be published with your essay in local newspapers, on the internet on the DC MLK, Mayor’s Youth Leadership Alumni Association and some of our partnering organizations websites, publications, and television shows. Winning contestants will be required to sign a Media Release Form. Contest Winners that are 17 years and younger must have the parent/guardian(s) sign the Media Release Form.
  • All essay submissions must be received by December 16, 2023 , 11:00pm Eastern Standard Time (EST).
  • Contestants can submit only one essay entry.
  • Submissions must be relevant to the essay topic as mentioned above. Essays will be judged upon their clarity, relevance to the topic submitted, organization, sentence structure, grammar, mechanics and spelling.
  • Contest finalists will be notified by email.
  • Contest winners will be announced.
  • Contest winners schools will be notified as well.
  • 1st Place Elementary, Middle School, High School Divisions -$300 dollars
  • 2nd Place Elementary, Middle School, High School Divisions -$200 dollars
  • 3rd Place Elementary, Middle School, High School Divisions- $100 dollars
  • Prizes will be awarded through check or money/pay cards.
  • Essay Contest entrants who do not have access to the internet or an understanding of how to submit their essay on-line are encouraged to get assistance from a parent/guardian, family member, teacher or school administrator to submit their essay on-line.
  • Handwritten essays should be scanned to a file and submitted on-line.
  • In the event that a student has no means to submit the essay on-line they should call Norman Nixon on (202) 236-6904.

Essay Contest Submission Instructions

  • Go to the MLK Holiday DC website at https://mlkholidaydc.org and click on the Get Involved link and scroll down to the MLK Student Essay information page and click on the Get Started link to fill out the contest application and submit your essay.
  • Essays can be typed into the essay submission portal or uploaded through the attachment link provided.
  • The MLK Holiday DC Committee or the Mayor’s Youth Leadership Institute Alumni Association (MYLIAA) are not responsible for connectivity issues or unexpected site outages that my prevent participants from submitting essays for consideration before the deadline. We consistently maintain the site in order to have it available and operational at all times. However, it is recommended that contest submissions are not left to the last minute in case of unexpected technical difficulties with the site.
  • In order to be considered, all essays must be submitted by December 16th, 2023 – 11:00 pm Eastern Standard Time (EST).
  • If you have any additional questions, please submit them to: [email protected]

Martin Luther King Jr. Committee of Santa Barbara

MLK Essay & Poetry program Awardees

Dr. martin luther king, jr. essay & poetry program awardees.

mlk jr essay contest

Awardees 2024

1st : Ashlynn Marie Richwine 2nd:  Ariana Raji Joshi 3rd: Mila Maggio

Honorable Mentions Felicity Gray Sara Ruiz  Shayleen Colmenarez-Hernandez Reagan Schroeder Josef Castañeda Entry

1st: “Born to Love” – Benke Sepulveda 2nd: “ Nurturing a Sustainable Future: My  Contribution to Environmental and Social  Justice ” – Frida Pulido 3rd: “Contributing to Social Justice is a Privilege” – Linda Galindo

Honorable Mention “Time is of essence” –  Charlotte Carter  “The Time is Always Ripe to do Right”       Morality in Social Justice ”  – Alex Ceja  

1st: “Ripe Moment” – Takunda Chikowero 2nd: “True Colors and a beat up heart”  –  Kaiya Kaminski 3rd: “You made a difference ” –  Apolline Colburn

Honorable Mentions “Helping people” – Kai Wanner “Kindness is Justice” – Kristasofia Castañeda “Link” – Laney Checketts “Just one word”  – Tessa Hope “Rising Strong”  – Amelia Maday

1st: “A call for change” – Sara Fakinos 2nd: “Shining light on justice ” –  Evelyn Cakins 3rd: “MLK we remember ” –  Angel Santana

Honorable Mentions “Liminal”  –  Husna Baleven “Brown in a Room Full of White”  – Valeria Zamora “Rise Up”  –  Isla Barat

Awardees 2023

1st : “Speak Out” – Reagan Schroeder – Grade 6 2nd: “ Martin Luther King ” – Adaline Alexandra Le Renard – Grade 5 3rd: “From My Heart” – Isla Ramirez – Grade 4

Honorable Mention “He Had a Dream and So Do I” – Charlotte Carter – Grade 5

1st: “Flower to Fruit” – Benke Sepulveda – Grade 8 2nd: “The Importance of Martin Luther Kind Jr” – Taylor Bronson – Grade 9 3rd: “Impact On My Community” – Mayleen Montes De Leon – Grade 11

Honorable Mention “Hear and Heal” –  Clehann Howard – Grade 10  

1st: “Let Us Fly” – Amelia Maday – Grade 4 2nd: “He was…”  –  Alexandra Le Renard – Grade 5 3rd: “A Divided Poem ” – Declan Yeung – Grade 4

Honorable Mentions “Making People Happy” – Kai Wanner – Grade 2 “Change the World” – Julie Parker – Grade 2 “My Brother” – Lochlan Whalen – Grade 2

1st: “Broken Treasures” – Lauren Lee – Grade 10 2nd: “How to Fix 77 seconds ” – Anna Morrison – Grade 10 3rd: “Listening Goes A Long Way ” – Olgha Mbarka – Grade 10

Awardees 2022

1st : “Don’t Hide Your Feelings” – Amalia Cruz 2nd: “ Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr’s Dream ” – Jaden Barker 3rd: “Dreams” – Chloe Henson

Honorable Mentions “Essay” – Dominic James Beane “Martin Luther King, Jr.” – Lillian Richardson “Martin Luther King, Jr.” – Siena Schmidt

1st: “The Struggle for Equality” – Rick Juarez 2nd: “Martin Luther King, Jr.’s Legacy” – Taylor Blackmore 3rd: “Abbie’s Essay.” – Abbigail Delwiche

1st: “Together” – Ronnie Gloo 2nd: “ Martin Luther King Day ” – Blaise Challen 3rd: “ The Voice we Have ” – Quincy Wong

Honorable Mentions “In a New Light” – Ximena Naranjo “I have a Dream.” – Camilla Elizondo “An Acrostic Poem in Honor of Dr. King.” – Laklyn Wood “Children of the Way” – Rudy Gloo

1st: “Fight Feathers” – Julia Weitzman 2nd: “A Single Garment of Destiny ” – Noah Slotnick-Latrisco 3rd: “ Waking Up” – Alejandro Marin

Honorable Mentions “It’s Raining Today” – Sierra Mayoral “MLK Poem” – Kate Cooney “Untitled” – Fiona Casbarro “Love and Hate” – Jasmine Lopez-Lopez “We Shall Overcome” – Liana Marie Ahedo

Awardees 2021

1st: “How should One’s Morals be Defined?” Kamea Boucher Carpinteria High School

2nd: “The Importance of Speaking up for your Ideals” Carolina Peace – 13 Marymount School

3rd: “What can make you a Better Person?” Hannia Hernandez Carpinteria High School

1st : “No More Silence” Noah Slotnick-Lastrico – 12 La Colina Junior High

2nd: “What Is Right” Ashley Hansen – 12 La Colina Junior High

3rd: “Martin Luther King Jr.” Lillian Richardson – 9 Marymount School

Honorable Mention : “Why it is so important to Speak up” James Steel Foothill Elementary School

1st: “Betrayal, Silence” Kundai Chikowero Dos Pueblos High School

2nd: “Solidarity” Sarah Dent – 10th grade Dos Pueblos High School

3nd: “Our Voices Are Heard” Miles Souza – 17 Carpinteria High School

Honorable Mentions “I Am What I Am” Fatima Lopez – 17 San Marcos High School

“Martin Luther King was an Amazing Man” Ember Reiter – 13 Marymount School

“Rise Up” Ravi Pandya – 13 Marymount School

1st : “The Journey to Freedom” Elena Beckman Knox School

2nd: “This is Us” Zoe Rogers Peabody Charter School of SB

3rd: “When Happiness Goes Down” Sam Kasting- 7 Marymount School

3rd: “Say Their Names” Jonah Archer Foothill Elementary School

Awardees 2020

1st Alexis Persoon Carpinteria High School

2nd Asiah Raymie San Marcos High School

3rd Sasha Carter Los Olivos School Illianna Ramirez Santa Barbara Junior High

1st Noah Slotnick-Lastrico Washington Elementary School 2nd Angel Hernandez Washington Elementary 3rd Kaia Drayton Hollister Elementary Ashley Hansen Washington Elementary School

1st Summer Slotnick-Lastrico San Marcos High School 2nd Kundai Chikowero Dos Pueblos High School 3rd Hialei E. Pangaling Los Olivos School Svenja Leonard Carpinteria High School

1st Charly Crane-Flores Roosevelt School 2nd Santiago Munoz Roosevelt School 3rd Bella Hofmeister Foothill Elementary

Awardees 2019

mlk jr essay contest

1st Michelle Qin “All for All” Dos Pueblos High School

1st Nolan Carney “Standing up and Speaking Out” Roosevelt School 2nd Angelle Breton “Together We Stand” Roosevelt School 3rd Aislinn Wilson “Together We Stand” Santa Barbara Middle School

Gia Manriquez “Together We Stand” Roosevelt School

1st Kundai Chikowero “Together for A Future Generation” Dos Pueblos High School 2nd Delia Dominguez “Together we stand” Carpinteria High School 3rd Noor Guefroudj “Together we stand” Dos Pueblos High School Jasmine Gutierrez “Together we stand” Carpinteria High School

1st Jaeda Natale “Together we Stand” Roosevelt School 2nd Lea Anderson “Together we Stand” Roosevelt School 3rd Grace Gorman “Poem 1” Montessori Center School Gwen Chenoweth “Together we Stand” Roosevelt School

Awardees 2018

1st Michelle Qin “The Human Right” Dos Pueblos High School 2nd Gabriel Ohedo “Martin Luther King, Jr.” Carpinteria High School

1st Olivia Battles “Speak Up” Roosevelt School 2nd Noah Zakrzewski “MLK” Monte Vista School 3rd Noah Slotnick-Lastrico “MLK” Washington School Connor MacPherson “MLK” Montessori Center School

1st Kundai Chikowero “Follow the Legacy” Dos Pueblos High School 2nd Hali Schwasnick “Colors” Carpinteria High School 3rd Jeanette Fantone “For The Oppressed” Carpinteria High School Max Coppel “Life in America Has Changed” Carpinteria High School

1st Zachary Horne “My Dream for Our World” Roosevelt School 2nd Aspen Newhouse “Democracy” Montessori Center School 3rd Tessa de Albergaria “Living a Nightmare” Roosevelt School Tali McPeters “Democracy” Roosevelt School

Awardees 2017

mlk jr essay contest

1st Michelle Qin, Dos Pueblos High School

1st Alana Sanchez, Roosevelt School 2nd Gracie Meinzer, Roosevelt School 3rd Lyla Bollag, Montessori Center School Aislinn Wilson, Montessori Center School Omar Alsabagh, Montessori Center School Zahra Clark, Montessori Center School Lorraina Uyeno, Montessori Center School

1st Ava Gropper, Carpinteria High School 2nd Kundai Chikowero, Goleta Valley Junior High 3rd Jasmine Guilarte, Santa Barbara High School Jaime Hernandez, Carpinteria High School

1st Stella Scheim, Roosevelt Elementary School 2nd Quinn Davis, Roosevelt Elementary School 3rd Pearl Stadler, Roosevelt Elementary School Malaika Dewar, Roosevelt Elementary School Christian Frausto, Roosevelt Elementary School Sam Peacock, Roosevelt Elementary School Gabriel Gallardo, Roosevelt Elementary School

Awardees 2016

mlk jr essay contest

1st  Michele Qin, Dos Pueblos High School 2nd  Emanuel Goldam, Valley High School 3rd  Anahi Hernandaz, La Cumbre Jr High School 3rd  Analise Cuevas Poetry

1st  Kundai Chikowero  2nd  Wesley Lin  3rd Lauren Neubauer 3rd Finney Israel

1st  Crystal Landeros, Carpinteria High School 2nd  Sophia Qin 3rd  Jonathan Carrillo

1st  Madison Tuchman 2nd  Nayon Kim 3rd Brittany Gamble 3rd  Kathryn Chenoweth

ADL Essay Award  

Natasha Franco 

Awardees 2015

mlk jr essay contest

1st  Jaiani Hammonds, Franklin Elementary School  2nd  Allison Mooney, Roosevelt Elementary School  3rd Maddie Fitz, Roosevelt Elementary School  3rd  Charlie Hess, Roosevelt Elementary School

1st  Place Miranda Vazquez, Santa Barbara High School 2nd  Micaela McBee, Santa Barbara High School 3rd  Andrea Gaytan, Santa Barbara High School 3rd  Sofia Warren, Santa Barbara High School

1st  Celene Sanchez, Roosevelt Elementary School 2nd  Lola Crane-Flores, Roosevelt Elementary School 3rd  Owen Rybnicek, Roosevelt Elementary School 3rd  Jeffrey Helman, Roosevelt Elementary School

1st  Berenice Ruiz, Santa Barbara High School 2nd  Malia Jungert, Santa Barbara High School 3rd  Cooper Johnson, Santa Barbara High School 3rd  Alana Ochoa, Santa Barbara High School

Awardees 2014

mlk jr essay contest

1st  Michelle Qin, La Colina Junior High 2nd  Esme Butkiewicz, Goleta Valley Jr. High 3rd  John Givans, Goleta Valley Jr. High 3rd  Sammy Moore, Goleta Valley Jr. High

1st  John Chambliss, Santa Barbara High School 2nd  Lauren Flemming, Santa Barbara High School 3rd  Addy Santos, La Colina Jr. High School 3rd  Sarah Douglas, San Marcos High School

1st  Natasha Romanchuk, La Cumber Jr. High  2nd  Leo Glikbarg, Goleta Valley Jr .High  3rd  Benjamin Kreitzer, Roosevelt Elementary  3rd  Noah Robinson, Roosevelt Elementary

1st  Berenice Ruiz, Santa Barbara High School 2nd  Sarah Douglas, San Marcos High School 3rd  Martina Arroyo, La Colina Jr. High 3rd  Sam Haj, La Colina Jr. High

COVID-19 Information

  • Text: NJCOVID to 898-211
  • ·
  • Call NJPIES Call Center: 800-962-1253
  • Call: 2-1-1
  • Need help? Vaccine Appointment Support

COVID19 Alert NJ

Official Site of The State of New Jersey

The State of NJ site may contain optional links, information, services and/or content from other websites operated by third parties that are provided as a convenience, such as Google™ Translate. Google™ Translate is an online service for which the user pays nothing to obtain a purported language translation. The user is on notice that neither the State of NJ site nor its operators review any of the services, information and/or content from anything that may be linked to the State of NJ site for any reason. - Read Full Disclaimer

  • Search close

NJHC Logo

New Jersey Martin Luther King, Jr. Commemorative Commission

New Jersey Martin Luther King, Jr. Commemorative Commission

Essay Contest NJ MLK Commemorative Commission 2023 ' Injustice Anywhere is a Threat to Justice Everywhere ' Scholarship Essay Contest

Mlk23 scholarship contest is closed..

SEMIFINALISTS WILL BE NOTIFIED BY EMAIL WHEN AND WHERE TO SUBMIT TRANSCRIPTS & LETTERS OF RECOMMENDATION. WINNERS WILL BE ANNOUNCED IN MAY. CHECK BACK FOR UPDATES. THANK YOU FOR YOUR INTEREST.

The NJ MLK Commemorative Commission's 2023 Scholarship Essay Contest is open to NJ residents in Grade 12.

Due Date: 5 PM, Friday, February 24, 2023

Note funds must be disbursed directly to the school by June 24, 2023.

**To apply for scholarship, complete online application below**

REQUIRED ESSAYS:

The New Jersey Martin Luther King, Jr. Commemorative Commission is proud to offer 10 scholarships to current high school seniors who are New Jersey residents in the amount of $5,000 per student. The scholarships will be awarded based on review of application by the independent reviewers appointed by the Commission. The online application includes three (3) essays on assigned topics. NOTE: Applicants selected for the final review will be required to email 2 school and community service reference letters and official high school transcript.

Applicants must respond to the following three essay questions:

  • How does the life of Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr. inspire you as you think about your future? (100to 300 words)
  • Please tell us about your service to others during your high school years. (100 to 300 words)
  • The Gandhian Society recently opened the Eternal Gandhi Peace Center in Atlantic City, NewJersey. In your own words, how do you think Mahatma Gandhi influenced Dr. Martin Luther KingJr.? (100 to 300 words)

After initial screening, applicants who are selected to continue will be asked to email the Commission:

  • Two (2) letters of reference from teachers, advisers, clergy and/or representatives of community-based service programs.
  • Official High School Transcript from 11th Grade.

Failure to provide any of the required elements may disqualify the application.

Submit an Essay

* Required.

Applicant Information

Advisor/adult contact information:, essay questions.

Applicants must answer all three (3) essay questions. ( Write essay in word processing program and copy and paste finished essay into field )

How does the life of Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. inspire you as you think about your future? *

mlk jr essay contest

Altanta History Center

History Channel

mlk jr essay contest

New Jerseyans Reflect on the Life and Legacy of Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr. in commemoration of his 90th Birthday

NJ Quotes on MLK

Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. Celebration Committee

Copyright © 2024. Designed and cared for by ImagoHouse

  • Arbor Creek Middle School
  • BB Owen Elementary
  • Bluebonnet Elementary
  • Briarhill Middle School
  • Bridlewood Elementary - STEM Academy
  • Camey Elementary
  • Castle Hills Elementary
  • Central Elementary
  • Coyote Ridge Elementary
  • Creek Valley Middle School - STEM Academy
  • Creekside Elementary
  • Degan Elementary
  • DeLay Middle School
  • Donald Elementary - STEM Academy
  • Downing Middle School - STEM Academy
  • Durham Middle School
  • Employee Benefits
  • Ethridge Elementary
  • Flower Mound Elementary
  • Flower Mound High School 9th Grade Campus
  • Flower Mound High School
  • Forest Vista Elementary
  • Forestwood Middle School - STEM Academy
  • Garden Ridge Elementary
  • Griffin Middle School - STEM Academy
  • Hebron High School 9th Grade Campus
  • Hebron High School
  • Hebron Valley Elementary
  • Hedrick Middle School - STEM Academy
  • Heritage Elementary
  • Hicks Elementary
  • Highland Village Elementary
  • Homestead Elementary
  • Huffines Middle School
  • Independence Elementary
  • Indian Creek Elementary
  • Killian Middle School
  • Lakeland Elementary
  • Lakeview Middle School
  • Lamar Middle School
  • Lewisville Elementary
  • Lewisville High School Harmon
  • Lewisville High School Killough
  • Lewisville High School
  • Lewisville Learning Center
  • Liberty Elementary School
  • Lillie J. Jackson ECC
  • Marcus High School 9th Grade Campus
  • Marcus High School
  • McAuliffe Elementary
  • McKamy Middle School
  • Memorial Elementary - STEM Academy
  • Mill Street Elementary
  • Morningside Elementary
  • Night High School
  • Old Settlers Elementary
  • Parkway Elementary
  • Peters Colony Elementary
  • Polser Elementary - STEM Academy
  • Prairie Trail Elementary
  • Student Success Center
  • Rockbrook Elementary
  • Shadow Ridge Middle School
  • Southridge Elementary
  • Technology, Exploration & Career Center EAST
  • Technology, Exploration & Career Center WEST
  • The Colony High School
  • Timber Creek Elementary
  • Valley Ridge Elementary - STEM Academy
  • Vickery Elementary
  • Virtual Learning Academy
  • VLA TEST SITE
  • Wellington Elementary
  • Virtual Learning Middle School
  • Virtual Learning High School

Search

Bluebonnet Elementary School

Lewisville Independent School District

mlk jr essay contest

Winners of the 31st Annual Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr. Contests Announced

Winners will be recognized Jan. 15 during celebration event.

The Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr. Essay, Art, Photography and Sculpture Contest winners (listed below) have been announced ahead of the 31st annual MLK Celebration scheduled for January 15. The theme for this year’s event is “Becoming One: The Time is Always Right to do What is Right.”

The winners will be recognized during the event. Contest winners will receive awards and prizes ranging from $50-$250. The winning art and photography works will be put on display during the celebration before moving to the Lewisville Grand.

This year's event will also feature planned performances from LISD and community organizations, as well as local and national speakers.

31 st Annual Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr. Day Celebration Monday, Jan. 15, 6 p.m. Lewisville High School Stuver Auditorium

For more information about the contests and celebration, visit mlkofnorthtexas.org .

Lewisville ISD staff attending the celebration will have the opportunity to earn trade day credit by enrolling HERE before January 15 and completing a reflection survey following the event.

2023-24 Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr. Essay, Art, Photography and 3D Sculpture/Ceramics Contest Winners -Essay- 4th Grade 1. Renee Sanchez | Garden Ridge ES | Cade 2. Emmeline Haba | Garden Ridge ES | Cade 3A. Dhruv Patel | Donald ES | Siler 3B. Victor Roberts | Donald ES | Pfister

5th Grade 1A. Grayson Bybee | Hebron Valley ES | Brown 1B. Dia Patel | Coyote Ridge ES | Puri/Martinez 2. Laasya Venna | Memorial ES | Head 3A. Ifra Fias | Liberty ES | Winkler/Morton 3B. Aashna Shah | Bluebonnet ES | Erickson

6th Grade 1. Eva Johny | Creek Valley MS | Simons 2. Tanvi Korrapati | Shadow Ridge MS | Reinacher 3. Hariyank Raman | Shadow Ridge MS | Reinacher

7th Grade 1. Zoya Tapia | Creek Valley MS | John 2. Pandora Morrow | Downing MS | Whithauer 3. Navya Gupta | McKamy MS | Thielemans

1. Reeva Joshi | McKamy MS | Miller 2. Elijah Min | Lamar MS | Reynolds 3. Stephanie Chong | McKamy MS | Miller

9th Grade 1. Ayaan Gupta | FMHS9 | Greenlaw 2A. Harmony Cornelius | LHS Harmon | Shelander 2B. Heloisa Lucia Lago | LHS Harmon | Shelander 3. Alexa Megliorino | FMHS9 | Greenlaw

10th Grade 1. Madison Berry | LHS Harmon | Crow 2. Gia Nguyen | LHS Harmon | Saiki 3. Jackson Braudaway | LHS Harmon | Saiki

11th Grade 1. Aanya Nuna | FMHS 

12th Grade 1. Aditi Singh | FMHS | Bowen 2. Sakshat Puri | FMHS | Bowen 3. Kimble Gould | LHS | Counts

4th Grade 1. Rianshi Mothe | Bluebonnet ES | Turner 2. Junia Rodriguez | Vickery ES | Ventura

5th Grade 1A. Bella Lee | Wellington ES | Hanson 1B. Paridhi Mankar | Bluebonnet ES | Turner 2A. Divam Mehta | Bridlewood ES | Shipley 2B. Coco Tang | Wellington ES 3. Ifra Fias | Liberty ES | Echols

6th Grade 1. Meryam Mikhail | Forestwood MS | Kilam 2. Anika Lal | Forestwood MS | Kilam 3. Jocelyn Wu | Killian MS | Decker

7th Grade 1. Saaish Adhyapak | Briarhill MS | Amick 2A. Sahana Thagadur | Killian MS | Calixto 2B. Mariana (Zimeng) Wang | McKamy MS | McCloud 3A. Vaibhav Pachipulusa | Downing MS | Felan 3B. Dylan Johnson | Lamar MS

8th Grade 1. Arnesa Pajic | Forestwood MS | Stelmar 2. Mariajose Armas Traconis | Lakeview MS | Fuentes 3. Riddhi Sharma | McKamy MS | McCloud

9th Grade 1. Tim Frasier | HHS9 | Hines 2. Camila De La Parra Carrete | MHS9 | Bellevue 3. Santiago Semeco | HHS9 | Hines

10th Grade 1. Elisabeth Waterman | HHS | Mennsfield 2. Braedon Shrier | HHS | Mennsfield 3A. Jeph Dela Cruz | HHS | Mennsfield 3B. Andrea Garcia | HHS | Mennsfield

11th Grade 1. True Davis | MHS | Bellevue  2. Jamie Yoon | FMHS | Lawrence 3. Briceidy Mendoza | HHS | Mennsfield

12th Grade 1. Mary Hannemann | MHS | Murdock 2. Vidhi Jadeja | FMHS | Lawrence 3. Jennifer Banh | MHS | Bellevue -Photography-

Elementary School 1. Aashna Shah (5th Grade) | Bluebonnet ES | Murguia

Middle School 1. Chloe Setzler (8th Grade) | Lakeview MS | Coleman 2. Tanvi Padala (8th Grade) | McKamy MS | Standifer 3. Zoya Tapia (7th Grade) | Creek Valley MS | John

High School 1. Syna Deshmukh (12th Grade) | MHS | Champion 2A. Peyton Phillips (12th Grade) | MHS | Champion 2B. Joshua Webb (11th Grade) | MHS | Champion 3. Eliza Glaser (9th Grade) | FMHS9 | Greenlaw

-3D Sculpture/Ceramics-

Elementary School 1. Aeri Ha (5th Grade) | Hebron Valley ES | Brown 2. Gautam Mudunuri (5th Grade) | Hebron Valley ES | Stegall 3. Diara Mitra (5th Grade) | Bluebonnet ES

Middle School 1. Audrey Nguyen (6th Grade) | Forestwood MS | Shelman 2. Mahi Sharma (6th Grade) | Shadow Ridge MS | Sawyers

High School 1A. Juliet Padilla (10th Grade) | MHS | Fletcher 1B. Diya Roy (12th Grade) | MHS | Fletcher 2A. Emma Martinez (11th Grade) | MHS | Fletcher 2B. Kaetie Samuels (11th Grade) | MHS | Fletcher 3A. Noah Kang (10th Grade) | FMHS | Kruk 3B. Ainsley Robbins (10th Grade) | MHS | Fletcher *Chairman's Prizes*  Vanessa Bautista (4th Grade) | Lewisville ES | Reiser Michelle Nguyen (8th Grade) | Creek Valley MS | Brazell Aanya Nuna (11th Grade) | FMHS | Lawrence

Thank you to the MLK of North Texas Committee for continuing support Lewisville ISD students and LISD Fine Arts. The 31st Annual Martin Luther King, Jr. Day Celebration event is proudly sponsored by:

Gold Level Sponsors

  • Joan-Parks Saunders and Mark Saunders
  • The Town of Flower Mound
  • The City of Lewisville
  • The City of Highland Village
  • Lewisville ISD
  • Tau Rho Omega Chapter of Alpha Kappa Alpha Sorority, Inc.
  • Nebraska Furniture Mart
  • Credit Union of Texas - FairLease
  • John J. Saunders, MD

Silver Level Sponsors

  • Vernell Gregg
  • Davoodi Family Medicine
  • Denton-Lewisville Chapter of Kappa Alpha Psi
  • Minuteman Press-LV
  • Rho Nu Lambda Chapter of Alpha Phi Alpha Fraternity, Inc.

Bronze Level Sponsors

  • The Baha'is of Flower Mound
  • The Greater Denton County Chapter of the Links, Inc.
  • Rembert Builders
  • Hindu Education Foundation (HEF), a project of HSS
  • Saberre Law Firm
  • Delia Parker Mims of Parker Legal, PLLC
  • Jacqueline L. Shaw of Shaw In-Home Childcare

Popular Links

  • School Hours
  • School Supply List
  • Bus Locator
  • Lunch Menus
  • Online Payments
  • Questions or Feedback? |
  • Web Community Manager Privacy Policy (Updated) |

Daily Democrat

Woodland Joint Unified School District students…

Share this:.

  • Click to share on Facebook (Opens in new window)
  • Click to share on Twitter (Opens in new window)
  • Click to print (Opens in new window)
  • A&E Source
  • Best of 2023 Magazine

Latest Headlines

Subscriber only, woodland joint unified school district students win city’s mlk essay contest.

Woodland Joint Unified School District Board of Trustees Vice President Deborah Bautista Zavala presents essay contest winners Sri Vaddella, Melanie Salazar and Kaylee Kacho with a board resolution in support of Martin Luther King Jr. Day in Jan.. (Courtesy)

Woodland Joint Unified School District students were winners of a city of Woodland essay contest celebrating Martin Luther King, Jr. late last month.

According to a district press release, in January, the city of Woodland asked Woodland students in grades 7 – 12 to rewrite Dr. King’s famous “I Have a Dream” speech in their own words as part of an essay contest.

After reviewing all the entries, the city selected its top four winning essays.

  • First place: Sri Vaddella, a 10th-grade student at Pioneer High School.
  • Second place: Melanie Salazar, an 11th-grade student at Pioneer High School.
  • Third place: Sahil Zeb, an 11th-grade student at Woodland High School.
  • Honorable Mention: Kaylee Kacho, an 8th-grade student at Douglass Middle School.

“I was incredibly shocked and grateful when I learned that I had won,” said first-place winner Sri Vaddella. “I genuinely wasn’t expecting to win. It was a wonderful opportunity and helped bring me closer to the community of Woodland.”

As the first-place winner, Sri was invited to read her essay at the Woodland City Council meeting on Jan. 16.

The WJUSD Board of Trustees also recognized the students for their accomplishments at its January Board meeting and presented them with a Board resolution honoring Jan. 15 as Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. Day.

“The Reverend Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr. devoted his life to fighting segregation and injustice by non-violent means and is an outstanding example of courageous leadership in the face of unrelenting violence and harassment,” stated Board Vice President Deborah Bautista Zavala, reading from the resolution before presenting it to students.

Second-place winner Melanie Salazar wrote about education and her perspectives on bullying and discrimination at school.

“I have never wanted to be a bystander, so seeing that I had a chance to talk about dreams inspired me to talk about my own dream to speak about how I feel when I see other people suffering,” Salazar said. “When I saw that I won an award, I felt recognized. I go by the words of my Spanish teacher, Delia Zamudio when I say that recognition, especially with topics like dreams, is already an award itself, knowing that others will read what I want to advocate for.”

Third-place winner Sahil Zeb wrote about the topic of colorism.

“My inspiration was that in the current day and age, there are so many people who would kill because of skin color, which is unjust and twisted,” Zeb said. “Just being more irrational and irritated towards someone with a different shade than you is wrong.”

Woodland High School student Sahil Zeb poses with his WJUSD Board resolution in support of Martin Luther King Jr. Day. Zeb won third place in the city of Woodland's MLK essay contest. (Courtesy)

Kaylee Kacho of Douglass Middle School won Honorable Mention for an essay about Dr. King’s non-violent approach toward achieving social justice.

“In my essay, I wrote about my take on Martin Luther King Jr.’s ‘I Have A Dream’ speech,” Kacho said. “My inspiration was Martin Luther King Jr.’s peaceful teachings and his will to fight for what he believed in. My feelings towards winning my award were me being proud of myself and grateful for the chance to be a part of this.”

City of Woodland Communication & Strategic Policies Manager Spencer Bowen commended the students for their insightful essays.

“Every day, Woodland’s young people remind us to fight for a more just and inclusive community,” he said. “We were excited to partner with WJUSD on this contest to honor Dr. King and the City congratulates the winners for their thoughtful and impactful work.”

Superintendent Elodia Ortega-Lampkin said the district is proud of the winners and proud of all students who submitted an essay for the contest.

“We are tremendously proud of our students for participating in the City’s essay contest, for their accomplishment in writing, and for their desire to honor the words and teachings of Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr.,” Ortega-Lampkin said.

More in News

Cooking fatigue can go beyond being in a rut and turn into total cooking burnout.

5 strategies to make imaginative, delicious and nutritious home-cooked meals

Donald Trump, in a post on his Truth Social network, said: "Under my leadership, the Republican Party will always support the creation of strong, thriving, healthy American families. We want to make it easier for mothers and fathers to have babies, not harder!"

Trump says he backs IVF, urges Alabama lawmakers to act

Presidential candidates Nikki Haley and Donald Trump.

National Politics | 2024 candidates Haley and Trump never debated each other. Do voters care?

Republican front-runner Donald Trump is winning financial support from grassroots campaign contributors who work for highly unionized workplaces.

National Politics | Biden stakes reputation on blue-collar workers. Turns out many are Trump donors

Opportunities For Africans

Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. Essay Competition 2024 for young South Africans.

Application Deadline:  February 29, 2024

In celebration of Black History Month and 30 years of South African democracy, the U.S. Embassy in South Africa has announced the launch the “I HAVE A DREAM – WHERE DO WE GO FROM HERE” essay competition for South African youth aged 16-20.

Requirements

  • South African youth aged 16-20 years old are invited to write an essay of 400 words or less that relates to their dreams and vision of a positive future for South Africa, and a video of them reading that essay.  In reflecting on the experience of 30 years of the challenges and successes of democracy, the essay should tap into the hopes for what the country could look towards in the next 30 years. 
  • The text and video should be submitted by email, including a private YouTube or other shareable video link of the individual reading their essay as though they were addressing an audience.
  • The top 9 nationwide winners (1 from each province) will be invited to a final event in Pretoria in mid-April, where they will participate in a live essay speech event with their peers, with Ambassador Reuben E. Brigety II and other U.S. and South African officials and attendees.
  • From among the 9 finalists, the U.S. Embassy will award three top prizes at the conclusion of the final performance including a MacBook computer for first place. 
  • Winners of the 2nd and 3rd places will be awarded an iPad and an iPad Mini, respectively.  Winning essays and videos will be featured on the U.S. Embassy’s social media accounts.  All finalists will receive certificates from the U.S. Embassy in recognition of their efforts.

Contestants are reminded that by participating in the contest and uploading content to YouTube or other platform, they are bound by the platform’s Terms of Service and any agreements contained therein.  Once a video is uploaded to the chosen platform, it is considered a final submission and may not be modified or replaced.  Individual contestants may submit only one essay and one corresponding video.

Submissions must be in English, although language accuracy will not be the principal selection criterion for finalists.

Application Procedure:

  • Submit your essay and video link on  here   by  11:59 p.m. Pretoria time on Feb. 29, 2024  to be considered
  • The nine finalists will be invited to Gauteng for a live final event on April 17,2024 in commemoration of the 30th anniversary of South African Democracy; the Grand Prize winners will be announced at that time.

A jury composed of South African and U.S. judges will select the 9 finalists.  Videos will be judged on effectiveness in communicating the importance and unique takes on the topic, as well as what the author stands for.

The 9 finalists will be invited to Gauteng to present their essays orally and the top 3 winners will be selected by an expert panel.

For More Information:

Visit the Official Webpage of the Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. Essay Competition

mlk jr essay contest

Connecting Africans to the latest life changing Opportunities around the Globe. [email protected] | [email protected]

Hitachi Energy business (PGGA) P1 & P2 Trainee Technician Program for young South African graduates.

2024 unesco kulturweit tandem exchange (german international cultural voluntary) program for young africans (fully funded), you may also like, fountain magazine 2016 essay contest for writers worldwide (usd 2,000+..., kaira looro 2021 – women’s house architecture competition, un-habitat youth photography competition 2017 for young photographers– #weareclimatechange (..., 2015 cultural innovation international prize for projects that explore the..., the 2014 ogm + student energy writing competition, un environment young champions of the earth competition 2018 (us$15,000..., my story–girl rising storytelling challenge 2020 ($500 usd prize), forbes under 30 $1 million change the world competition for..., wema bank hackaholics 4.0 hackathon for young nigerian entreprenuers (6..., u.s. – west africa tech challenge 2023 for young innovators..., leave a comment cancel reply.

Save my name, email, and website in this browser for the next time I comment.

This site uses Akismet to reduce spam. Learn how your comment data is processed .

We use cookies on this site to enhance your user experience. By clicking any link on this page you are giving your consent for us to set cookies. Accept More Info

The Jones-Gordon School (JGS) Logo

Martin Luther King Jr. Essay Contest

Jones-gordon school students win essay contest.

Two students from the Jones-Gordon School submitted essay’s to the town of Paradise Valley, Arizona to commemorate and honor the ideals Martin Luther King Jr. stood for. The essays submitted were based on the topic, “Changing hearts and minds” and this topic represents a powerful message and the compassionate approach Martin Luther King Jr. used as he strived to bring equal rights and civil liberties to all Americans.

Join us in celebrating our two winners by reading their essays and discover the impact that MLK has had on our students.

mlk jr essay contest

Essay title:

Changing hearts and minds

mlk jr essay contest

Martin Luther King Jr.

Contest requirements:.

2024 Town of Paradise Valley   Martin Luther King Jr. Essay Contest

All 5 th , 6 th , 7 th , and 8th-grade students are invited to submit an essay on this year’s theme. There will be one winner picked from each grade level, and these winners will be announced in January 2024.  Each grade level will have one winner.

Winners will be given a Trophy and Gift Card during the  Town of Paradise Valley Martin Luther King Jr. Celebration in Town Hall on Monday, January 15th, 2024 .  Winners and their families are invited and encouraged to attend the event.

Essay Submission Deadline:   December 15, 2023

Essay Topic:  “Changing Hearts and Minds”

mlk jr essay contest

Requirements:

  • The essay should be two total single-sided pages.
  • Format should be in Times font and 12 pt., double line spacing with a 1” margin.
  • Student name, school, and grade should be on the first page of the essay.
  • Please save the essay in a PDF or .doc format.

Essays will be judged on the following:

  • Relevance – to topic, content, and clarity.
  • Focus and Coherence – The ideas are related and well-supported from the introduction to the conclusion.
  • Organization – The writer uses smooth transitions and clear ideas.
  • Development of Ideas – The writer uses specific details to develop ideas.
  • Voice – The writer engages the reader with the choice of words, and the writer’s unique personality comes through.
  • Conventions – The writer uses correct spelling, grammar, punctuation, and sentence structure.

By submitting your essay, you approve the essay to be published and used in promotions, along with the student’s name, grade, and school. You are also committing to the original quality of the paper. Any papers that are not original will be automatically disqualified.

Essay Contest

2024 Town of Paradise Valley Martin Luther King Jr. Essay Contest

All 5 th , 6 th , 7 th , and 8th-grade students are invited to submit an essay on this year’s theme. There will be one winner picked from each grade level, and these winners will be announced in January 2024.  Each grade level will have one winner.

Winners will be given a Trophy and Gift Card during the  Town of Paradise Valley Martin Luther King Jr. Celebration in Town Hall on Monday, January 15th, 2024 .  Winners and their families are invited and encouraged to attend the event.

Essay Submission Deadline:   December 15, 2023

Essay Topic: “Changing Hearts and Minds”

Requirements:

  • The essay should be two total single-sided pages. 
  • Format should be in Times font and 12 pt., double line spacing with a 1” margin. 
  • Student name, school, and grade should be on the first page of the essay. 
  • Please save the essay in a PDF or .doc format.
  • Please submit a pdf, doc, or docx of your essay:  Contest Submission or go to the website https://www.mlkparadisevalley.org/submissions/

Essays will be judged on the following:

  • Relevance – to topic, content, and clarity. 
  • Focus and Coherence  – The ideas are related and well-supported from the introduction to the conclusion.
  • Organization – The writer uses smooth transitions and clear ideas.
  • Development of Ideas  – The writer uses specific details to develop ideas.
  • Voice – The writer engages the reader with the choice of words, and the writer’s unique personality comes through.
  • Conventions  – The writer uses correct spelling, grammar, punctuation, and sentence structure.

By submitting your essay, you approve the essay to be published and used in promotions, along with the student’s name, grade, and school. You are also committing to the original quality of the paper. Any papers that are not original will be automatically disqualified.

Please submit pdf, doc, or docx of your essay: Contest Submission

This event is sponsored by the Bahá’í Community of Paradise Valley and the Town of Paradise Valley.

Paradise Valley, AZ

 alt=

Jersey City’s 29th annual MLK Oratory Contest Feb. 26-28

  • Updated: Feb. 23, 2024, 2:51 p.m. |
  • Published: Feb. 23, 2024, 2:42 p.m.
  • Ron Zeitlinger | The Jersey Journal

Dozens of students from across Jersey City will compete next week in the city’s 29th annual Martin Luther King Jr. Oratory Contest in honor of Black History Month.

Some 82 students in grade 3 through 8 are scheduled to compete Monday, Tuesday and Wednesday in the competition at City Council chambers in City Hall. The students, representing 31 schools, will perform oration of one of civil rights icon’s writings or speeches. Each presentation will be judged according to length, clarity, memorization and overall presentation.

The competition is split into two categories, grades 3-5 and grades 6-8. The younger group will perform Monday and the older group Tuesday. The finals will be held Wednesday. The competition gets underway at 3:30 p.m. each day.

If you purchase a product or register for an account through a link on our site, we may receive compensation. By using this site, you consent to our User Agreement and agree that your clicks, interactions, and personal information may be collected, recorded, and/or stored by us and social media and other third-party partners in accordance with our Privacy Policy.

Suggestions or feedback?

MIT News | Massachusetts Institute of Technology

  • Machine learning
  • Social justice
  • Black holes
  • Classes and programs

Departments

  • Aeronautics and Astronautics
  • Brain and Cognitive Sciences
  • Architecture
  • Political Science
  • Mechanical Engineering

Centers, Labs, & Programs

  • Abdul Latif Jameel Poverty Action Lab (J-PAL)
  • Picower Institute for Learning and Memory
  • Lincoln Laboratory
  • School of Architecture + Planning
  • School of Engineering
  • School of Humanities, Arts, and Social Sciences
  • Sloan School of Management
  • School of Science
  • MIT Schwarzman College of Computing

MLK Celebration Gala pays tribute to Martin Luther King Jr. and his writings on “the goal of true education”

Press contact :, media download.

Clarence Williams stands on a stage while holding a plaque and smiling, as Karl Reid has his arm around Williams’ back. A greyscale photo of the 1963 March on Washington is in the background.

*Terms of Use:

Images for download on the MIT News office website are made available to non-commercial entities, press and the general public under a Creative Commons Attribution Non-Commercial No Derivatives license . You may not alter the images provided, other than to crop them to size. A credit line must be used when reproducing images; if one is not provided below, credit the images to "MIT."

Clarence Williams stands on a stage while holding a plaque and smiling, as Karl Reid has his arm around Williams’ back. A greyscale photo of the 1963 March on Washington is in the background.

Previous image Next image

After a week of festivities around campus, members of the MIT community gathered Saturday evening in the Boston Marriott Kendall Square ballroom to celebrate the life and legacy of Martin Luther King Jr. Marking 50 years of this annual celebration at MIT, the gala event’s program was loosely organized around a line in King’s essay, “The Purpose of Education,” which he penned as an undergraduate at Morehouse College:

“We must remember that intelligence is not enough,” King wrote. “Intelligence plus character — that is the goal of true education.”

Senior Myles Noel was the master of ceremonies for the evening and welcomed one and all. Minister DiOnetta Jones Crayton , former director of the Office of Minority Education and associate dean of minority education, delivered the invocation, exhorting the audience to embrace “the fiery urgency of now.” Next, MIT President Sally Kornbluth shared her remarks.

She acknowledged that at many institutions, diversity and inclusion efforts are eroding. Kornbluth reiterated her commitment to these efforts, saying, “I want to be clear about how important I believe it is to keep such efforts strong — and to make them the best they can be. The truth is, by any measure, MIT has never been more diverse, and it has never been more excellent. And we intend to keep it that way.”

Kornbluth also recognized the late Paul Parravano , co-director of MIT’s Office of Government and Community Relations, who was a staff member at MIT for 33 years as well as the longest-serving member on the MLK Celebration Committee. Parravano’s “long and distinguished devotion to the values and goals of Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr. inspires us all,” Kornbluth said, presenting his family with the 50th Anniversary Lifetime Achievement Award. 

Next, students and staff shared personal reflections. Zina Queen, office manager in the Department of Political Science, noted that her family has been a part of the MIT community for generations. Her grandmother, Rita, her mother, Wanda, and her daughter have all worked or are currently working at the Institute. Queen pointed out that her family epitomizes another of King’s oft-repeated quotes, “Every man is an heir to a legacy of dignity and worth.”

Senior Tamea Cobb noted that MIT graduates have a particular power in the world that they must use strategically and with intention. “Education and service go hand and hand,” she said, adding that she intends “every one of my technical abilities will be used to pursue a career that is fulfilling, expansive, impactful, and good.”

Graduate student Austin K. Cole ’24 addressed the Israel-Hamas conflict and the MIT administration. As he spoke, some attendees left their seats to stand with Cole at the podium. Cole closed his remarks with a plea to resist state and structural violence, and instead focus on relationship and mutuality.

After dinner, incoming vice president for equity and inclusion Karl Reid ’84, SM ’85 honored Adjunct Professor Emeritus Clarence Williams for his distinguished service to the Institute. Williams was an assistant to three MIT presidents, served as director of the Office of Minority Education, taught in the Department of Urban Planning, initiated the MIT Black History Project, and mentored hundreds of students. Reid was one of those students, and he shared a few of his mentor’s oft repeated phrases:

“Do the work and let the talking take care of itself.”

“Bad ideas kill themselves; great ideas flourish.”

In closing, Reid exhorted the audience to create more leaders who, like Williams, embody excellence and mutual respect for others.

The keynote address was given by civil rights activist Janet Moses, a member of the Student Nonviolent Coordinating Committee (SNCC) in the 1960s; a physician who worked for a time as a pediatrician at MIT Health; a longtime resident of Cambridge, Massachusetts; and a co-founder, with her husband, Robert Moses, of the Algebra Project , a pioneering program grounded in the belief “that in the 21st century every child has a civil right to secure math literacy — the ability to read, write, and reason with the symbol systems of mathematics.”

A striking image of a huge new building planned for New York City appeared on the screen behind Moses during her address. It was a rendering of a new jail being built at an estimated cost of $3 billion. Against this background, she described the trajectory of the “carceral state,” which began in 1771 with the Mansfield Judgement in England. At the time, “not even South Africa had a set of race laws as detailed as those in the U.S.,” Moses observed.

Today, the carceral state uses all levels of government to maintain a racial caste system that is deeply entrenched, Moses argued, drawing a connection between the purported need for a new prison complex and a statistic that Black people in New York state are three times more likely than whites to be convicted for a crime.

She referenced a McKinsey study that it will take Black people over three centuries to achieve a quality of life on parity with whites. Despite the enormity of this challenge, Moses encouraged the audience to “rock the boat and churn the waters of the status quo.” She also pointed out that “there is joy in the struggle.”

Symbols of joy were also on display at the Gala in the forms of original visual art and poetry, and a quilt whose squares were contributed by MIT staff, students, and alumni, hailing from across the Institute.

Quilts are a physical manifestation of the legacy of the enslaved in America and their descendants — the ability to take scraps and leftovers to create something both practical and beautiful. The 50th anniversary quilt also incorporated a line from King’s highly influential “I Have a Dream Speech”:

“One day, all God’s children will have the riches of freedom and the security of justice.”

Share this news article on:

Related links.

  • Annual MLK celebrations at MIT
  • MLK programs at MIT
  • Institute Community and Equity Office

Related Topics

  • Special events and guest speakers
  • Diversity and inclusion
  • Administration
  • President Sally Kornbluth

Related Articles

Headshot of DiOnetta Jones Crayton

DiOnetta Jones Crayton: Change-maker at MIT

Side-view photo of Angela Davis speaking at a podium.

Angela Davis: “We need to renew our commitments to struggle against racism”

oil painting “Celebrate the truth of the dream with love"

Eddie Glaude Jr.: “We must run toward our fears”

The 1960s were “a heady time for the nation,” recalled civil rights activist Janet Moses, left, at a luncheon celebrating “Activism in the Era of MLK.” Topper Carew, middle, a filmmaker originally from Boston’s Roxbury neighborhood and a principal investigator at MIT’s Media Lab, was also on the panel led by Institute Community and Equity Officer Edmund Bertschinger, right.

Pick an issue and dive in!

Previous item Next item

More MIT News

Group photo of Dean Anantha Chandrakasan with 12 postdocs

2023-25 MIT Postdoctoral Fellowship Program for Engineering Excellence cohort announced

Read full story →

Lydia Brosnahan and an unidentified man stand in front of a window; the man is wearing a virtual reality headset.

Faces of MIT: Lydia Brosnahan

Lily Tsai, along with MIT administration and faculty, proceed through Killian Court on a spring day. All are wearing academic regalia and Tsai holds a wooden staff.

A new shepherd’s staff to lead “the flock” during MIT Commencement

Branden Spitzer smiles while setting on a table inside a lab, with large equipment in background.

Nourishing the mind, hand, and stomach

On top of a quarter sits a disc-like device chopped in half to show the interior: purple plastic is on outside, eight stacks of coiled copper-colored rods; and in the middle is a black substance.

MIT engineers 3D print the electromagnets at the heart of many electronics

Rendering shows several layers, including a metallic block on bottom. Above this block are lattices of layered atoms. Above these lattices, a twist of energy has a two-sided arrow, with the top part emphasized.

Researchers harness 2D magnetic materials for energy-efficient computing

  • More news on MIT News homepage →

Massachusetts Institute of Technology 77 Massachusetts Avenue, Cambridge, MA, USA

  • Map (opens in new window)
  • Events (opens in new window)
  • People (opens in new window)
  • Careers (opens in new window)
  • Accessibility
  • Social Media Hub
  • MIT on Facebook
  • MIT on YouTube
  • MIT on Instagram

WOAI San Antonio

San Antonio student wins MLK Jr. art contest, features diversity in winning piece

S AN ANTONIO – The Winner of This Year’s Martin Luther King Jr. Student Art Contest was inspired by her pride in San Antonio’s diversity.

Cole High School student Alexxa Villanueva was announced as the winner for the MLK. Jr Student Art Contest at the Carver Community Cultural Center.

Villanueva was inspired after seeing the contest posted in her art class.

She is excited at the prospect of having her art featured in the 2024 Martin Luther King Jr March on Monday, Jan. 15.

I was pretty shocked, its pretty exciting news,” said Alex Villanueva. “I’m just really happy to be a part of the march, it’s a really big cause, and I’m just happy to be a part of it.

San Antonio student wins MLK Jr. art contest, features diversity in winning piece

IMAGES

  1. Winners of MLK, Jr. essay contest announced

    mlk jr essay contest

  2. MLK Jr. Essay Contest Winners!

    mlk jr essay contest

  3. Martin Luther King Jr Essay Contest, Sacramento Juneteenth at Oak Park

    mlk jr essay contest

  4. Martin Luther King, Jr. Essay Contest 2021

    mlk jr essay contest

  5. Kids, the Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. Essay Contest at Medgar Evers

    mlk jr essay contest

  6. The Rev. Martin Luther King Jr. essay contest winners announced

    mlk jr essay contest

COMMENTS

  1. Winners of the 2023 Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. Essay Contest

    The MLK Holiday DC Committee, in partnership with the Mayor's Youth Leadership Institute Alumni Association and community partners, presents the winners of the Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. Essay Contest 2023. Over 100 D.C. elementary, middle and high school students wrote essays addressing: What does Dr. King's "Dream" mean to you?

  2. 2024 Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr. Scholarship Essay Contest

    The City of Dallas is pleased to announce the 2022 Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. Essay Contest! The contest will award eight scholarships ranging from $1,000 to $5,000 (per award) to graduating high school seniors accepted into a college-level educational institution (two-year college, four-year college, or trade school).

  3. 2024 MLK Essay Contest

    We are pleased to announce the 11th annual Martin Luther King, Jr. Sacramento Regional Essay contest. The essay contest was created to further engage our youth with Dr. King's legacy, vision, and leadership that inspired a nation. Essays will be judged on creativity, clarity, content, coherence, and adherence to the theme.

  4. Martin Luther King Jr. Essay Contest

    The 2024 contest is now over, thank you to everyone who submitted an essay! Due Date: The contest is now closed. Winners will be announced on Martin Luther King Day (Jan 15). Writing Prompt: Students must submit individual essays that reflect on Dr. Martin Luther King Jr.'s dream and work towards equality.

  5. Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. Contest

    The Missouri NEA Human Rights Committee is sponsoring the 2024 Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. Essay and Visual Art Contest for K-12 public school students. The theme for the 2024 contest is "Leadership and Service."

  6. PDF 2024 Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr. Essay Contest

    2024 Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr. Essay Contest. Each year on the third Monday of January we celebrate the life and the dream of Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr. It is a time for the nation to remember the injustices that Dr. King fought. He fought for the freedom, dignity, and equality of all races and peoples. In honor and celebration

  7. Essay Contest

    Essays must clearly address the contest theme and prompt. Essays may not be identical to any speech submissions. Word count parameters: 4-6th Grades -- up to 750 words. 7-8th Grades -- up to 1,000 words. 9-12th Grades -- up to 1,500 words. Essays should be typed in English with size 12 font and 1" margins and include a works cited page.

  8. MLK Jr. Essay Contest

    OVERVIEW Students in Middle School and High School are asked to write an essay based on a quote from Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. Up to 5 essays may be submitted by a single school. This contest is free for Department of Student Programs member schools. Non-member schools will be charged $10 per essay that is submitted. ENTRY SUBMISSION INSTRUCTIONS

  9. 2022 Winning Essays

    We are very pleased to announce the winners of the 9th annual Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. Essay Contest in conjunction with the MLK Celebration event. The essay contest was created to further engage our youth with Dr. King's legacy, his vision, and leadership that inspired a nation. High School

  10. 2021 Winning Essays

    We are very pleased to announce the winners of the 8th annual Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. Essay Contest in conjunction with the MLK Celebration event. The essay contest was created to further engage our youth with Dr. King's legacy, his vision, and leadership that inspired a nation.

  11. Essay Contest

    The Martin Luther King Jr., Holiday Committee of Washington, DC in partnership with the Mayor's Youth Leadership Institute Alumni Association and our Community Partners have joined together to sponsor The Annual Dr. Martin Luther King Jr., Essay Contest. Presented by: Mayor's Youth Leadership Institute Alumni Association

  12. Murphy Shares Winning Essays Of His 5th Annual 'Martin Luther King Jr

    Murphy Shares Winning Essays Of His 5th Annual 'Martin Luther King Jr. Day Essay Contest' January 18, 2021 HARTFORD—In honor of Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr. Day, U.S. Senator Chris Murphy (D-Conn.) announced on Monday the 15 winners of his fifth annual 'Martin Luther King, Jr. Day Essay Contest.'

  13. MLK Essay & Poetry program Awardees

    Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr. Essay & Poetry Program Awardees 2024 Theme - "The time is always ripe to do right!" Rev. Martin Luther King, Jr. - Seattle, Washington - 1961 Awardees 2024 Essay Ages 6-12 1st: Ashlynn Marie Richwine 2nd: Ariana Raji Joshi 3rd: Mila Maggio Honorable Mentions Felicity Gray Sara Ruiz Shayleen Colmenarez-Hernandez

  14. Wallingford Student Wins Martin Luther King Jr. Essay Challenge

    MLK not only inspires me to work harder but to be optimistic at hard times. The article Wallingford Student Wins Martin Luther King Jr. Essay Challenge appeared first on Wallingford Patch .

  15. NJ Department of State

    NJ MLK Commemorative Commission 2023 'Injustice Anywhere is a Threat to Justice Everywhere' Scholarship Essay Contest MLK23 SCHOLARSHIP CONTEST IS CLOSED. ... New Jerseyans Reflect on the Life and Legacy of Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr. in commemoration of his 90th Birthday. NJ Quotes on MLK. Department of State. Office of the Secretary. About ...

  16. Murphy Shares Winning Essays Of His 8th Annual 'Martin Luther King Jr

    January 23, 2024. HARTFORD—In honor of Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr. Day, U.S. Senator Chris Murphy (D-Conn.) announced on Wednesday the 15 winners of his eighth annual 'Martin Luther King, Jr. Day Essay Contest.'. This year, Murphy received more than 1,650 entries from elementary, middle, and high school students from across Connecticut ...

  17. Entries being accepted for MLK Jr. essay contest

    The 2024 Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. Essay Contest is now open. Students in grades 6 to 12 are invited to participate in this contest. Students are being asked to write their essays based on the ...

  18. PDF The 2023-24 Martin Luther King, Jr. Essay and Art and Contest

    Art topic: draw a picture about a book that has taught you something. Middle School (Grades 6-8). Essay topic: Write a five-paragraph essay explaining why the freedom of expression is important to you, to your library, and to our democracy. Art topic: create a poster celebrating the freedom of expression. important. Upper Elementary (Grades 4-5).

  19. Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. Poster & Essay Contest

    Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. Day will be celebrated on January 15, 2024. Dr. King understood that if people could learn to see the world from another person's perspective and to have compassion for others, we would be better equipped to create a more just and peaceful world. Dr.

  20. 2024 Essay Contest

    MLKCC P.O. Box 2681 Freeport, TX 77541. 979-417-6187. [email protected]

  21. Winners of the 31st Annual Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr. Contests Announced

    The Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr. Essay, Art, Photography and Sculpture Contest winners (listed below) have been announced ahead of the 31st annual MLK Celebration scheduled for January 15. The theme for this year's event is "Becoming One: The Time is Always Right to do What is Right." The winners will be recognized during the event.

  22. Woodland Joint Unified School District students win city's MLK essay

    Woodland Joint Unified School District students were winners of a city of Woodland essay contest celebrating Martin Luther King, Jr. late last month. According to a district press release, in ...

  23. Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. Essay Competition 2024 for young South

    The 9 finalists will be invited to Gauteng to present their essays orally and the top 3 winners will be selected by an expert panel. For More Information: Visit the Official Webpage of the Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. Essay Competition

  24. Martin Luther King Jr. Essay Contest

    2024 Town of Paradise Valley Martin Luther King Jr. Essay Contest. All 5 th, 6 th, 7 th, and 8th-grade students are invited to submit an essay on this year's theme. There will be one winner picked from each grade level, and these winners will be announced in January 2024. Each grade level will have one winner.

  25. Essay Contest

    Essay Contest 2024 Town of Paradise Valley Martin Luther King Jr. Essay Contest All 5 th, 6 th, 7 th, and 8th-grade students are invited to submit an essay on this year's theme. There will be one winner picked from each grade level, and these winners will be announced in January 2024. Each grade level will have one winner.

  26. Jersey City's 29th annual MLK Oratory Contest Feb. 26-28

    Dozens of students from across Jersey City will compete next week in the city's 29th annual Martin Luther King Jr. Oratory Contest in honor of Black History Month. Some 82 students in grade 3 ...

  27. MLK Celebration Gala pays tribute to Martin Luther King Jr. and his

    After a week of festivities around campus, members of the MIT community gathered Saturday evening in the Boston Marriott Kendall Square ballroom to celebrate the life and legacy of Martin Luther King Jr. Marking 50 years of this annual celebration at MIT, the gala event's program was loosely organized around a line in King's essay, "The Purpose of Education," which he penned as an ...

  28. San Antonio student wins MLK Jr. art contest, features diversity in

    SAN ANTONIO - The Winner of This Year's Martin Luther King Jr. Student Art Contest was inspired by her pride in San Antonio's diversity. Cole High School student Alexxa Villanueva was ...