REV. DR. MARTIN LUTHER KING JR. ESSAY COMPETITION WINNERS ANNOUNCED
Harrisburg, PA – Mayor Stephen R. Reed today announced the winners of the City’s 24th Annual Rev. Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. Essay Competition. The successful young authors were recognized at a special ceremony in their honor at the Rev. Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. City Government Center, the only governmental headquarters in the world to be named after the heroic civil rights leader. It was so named by an Executive Order issued by the Mayor in the early 1980s.
First begun by the Mayor in 1985, the annual competition has drawn more than 6,000 voluntary entries over the past 24 years, with 308 total entries for this year’s competition. Participating students in grades seven through twelve were asked to write about a pre-selected topic relative to the teachings of Dr. King and how they relate to the world today. The topic for this year’s Essay Competition was: What type of nation do you believe Dr. King thought American "ought to be" with regard to the rights of all of our countrymen and women and how can we all work to make it the type of nation he envisioned?
Joining with the City as the title sponsor of the 2008 Essay Competition is Pinnacle Health. Additional sponsors include Coca-Cola, Giant Foods, Harrisburg Hilton and Towers, Subway, United States Postal Service, and Wachovia bank. Winning entries received plaques and a U.S. Savings Bond of $250.00 for 1st Place, $150.00 for 2nd Place and $100.00 for 3rd Place. Winners also received gift certificates to Subway restaurants, commemorative folders, and other gift items.
Reed said the annual literary exercise is judged by an independent panel of judges who review the hundreds of entries to determine the top three winners in each grade. Judges for this year’s Essay Competition were Debra Bryant of Pinnacle Health, Alice Lee of Wachovia Bank, and Deborah Carpenter and Clare Jones, both of the PA Turnpike Commission.
"The outstanding efforts of these young people represent the perpetuation of the ideals for which Dr. King stood and for which he died," said Mayor Reed. "These ideals are especially relevant as we and the world confront the evils of intolerance throughout the world."
"Our appreciation is extended to all of our sponsors, judges and educators who helped make this year’s Essay Competition a reality, and we applaud all of the young authors who submitted entries for judging. All are winners by their participation"
The Rev. Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. Essay Competition is coordinated by the Mayor’s Office and the City’s Department of Parks and Recreation. A complete listing of the 2007 Essay Competition winners is below.
Martin Luther King, Jr. Essay Contest Winners
7th Grade:
1st Place- Justin Fairfax, Saint Margaret Mary School
2nd Place- Angeline Lonardi, Saint Catherine Laboure School
3rd Place- Kelly McNaughton, Saint Catherine Laboure School
8th Grade:
1st Place- Rachel Gerber, Saint Catherine Laboure School
2nd Place- Tri Vo, Math/ Science Academy of Ben Franklin School
3rd Place- Brock Dean, Saint Catherine Laboure School
9th Grade:
No winners due to insufficient entries from all schools.
10th Grade:
1st Place- Collin McCarthy, Bishop McDevitt High School
2nd Place- Nina Lispi, Bishop McDevitt High School
3rd Place- Katie Rice, Bishop McDevitt High School
11th Grade:
1st Place- Thais Ridgeway, Bishop McDevitt High School
2nd Place- Ali Barbush, Bishop McDevitt High School
3rd Place- Kenniqua Jenrette-McDowell, Harrisburg High School
12th Grade:
1st Place- Marcia Blockson, Harrisburg High School
2nd Place-Mercedes Abernathy, Harrisburg High School
3rd Place- Kyla Watson, Harrisburg High School
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