MLK Essay Contest Winners Announced

Three local students were recently honored at the Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. Essay Awards Banquet.

The essay topic was "Who was Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr. and how does his dream affect our society?" During the Jan. 17 event, the names of the three contest winners were announced. Cash prizes were awarded for first place ($300), second place ($200) and third place ($100).

The first-place winner is Jordan Paul Henderson of Morgantown, a sixth-grader at Westwood Middle School. His teacher is Wayne W. Kiger. The second-place winner is Ciara Davidson of Buckhannon, W.Va., a sixth-grader at Buckhannon-Upshur Middle School. Her teacher is Nancy Hasbrouck. The third-place winner is Randall Curtis Stickley of Fairmont, a sixth-grader at Dunbar Middle School. His teacher is Mary Tate.

"I think this is a great opportunity for all students to learn about the great, late Dr. King," said Persis Bates, Coordinator of Multicultural Affairs. "This contest allows students to go beyond the classroom and apply their knowledge about Dr. King into an essay. Hopefully, as part of our goal, the participants will get a chance to express their opinion about his dream and its effect on our society."

The essays were judged by faculty members of the FSU Department of Language & Literature.

For more information, call Persis Bates at (304) 367-4215.