Dr. Martin Luther King Jr.
Student Essay and Art Contest for participants in Preschool-12th grade
Greetings Educators, Parents, and Students!
Each year, the Missoula community celebrates the life and work of Dr. Martin Luther King Jr.
and the relevance of his teachings. The theme for the 2014 Martin Luther King Day Celebration
is: “Keep Moving Forward.” The rally this year will be about empowering youth voices to speak
up and speak out about nonviolence. Please see the attached resource page for ideas for your
classroom or family.
TASK: Read the quote by Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. below, and consider what it means to you.
Then choose if you would like to write or create artwork for your response. If you are writing: it
can be a letter, an essay, or a poem, 250 words or fewer. If you are creating art: it can be a
drawing, painting, print, collage or other 2-D media on any kind of paper, but the paper size
needs to be 8 ½ x 11 inches. We cannot accept sculptures or other 3D work.
The QUOTE: “If you can't fly, run. If you can't run, walk. If you can't walk, crawl.
But by all means, keep moving.”
INSTRUCTIONS: All students in Preschool-12th grade are eligible (only one entry per
student). On the BACK of each entry include the student’s full name, grade, school, home
address, and telephone number. All essays and artwork must be the original work of the student
whose name appears on it. Please do not put names or info on the front. Entries must be received
at the Missoulian by January 6, 2014. Winners will be featured in the Missoulian on MLK Jr.
Day, January 20, 2014. First, second and third place awards of $50, $20, and $15 will be
presented in each of the eight categories: Essay/Poem/Letter for Grades Pre-2, 3-5, 6-8, 9-12;
Artwork for Pre-2, 3-5, 6-8, 9-12.
Send Entries To: MLK Jr. Essay/Art Contest, Missoulian, P.O. Box 8029, Missoula, MT 59807
CONTEST SPONSORS: Missoula’s MLK Jr. Day Planning Committee, The Missoulian, NCBI
Missoula, University of Montana Excellence Fund
QUESTIONS: Call Debby Florence at 541-6891or [email protected]
This material is neither sponsored by nor endorsed by Missoula County Public Schools, the
Superintendent, or this school.
The Story Behind the Quote
Martin Luther King Jr. spoke to students at Glenville High School on April 26, 1967. He
referred to the famous poet, Langston Hughes:
“And I close by quoting a beautiful little poem from the pen of Langston Hughes, where
he has a mother, talking to a son. With ungrammatical profundity that mother says,
"Well, son, I'll tell you: Life for me ain't been no crystal stair. It's had tacks in it, boards
torn up, and places with no carpet on the floor -- bare. But all the time I'se been aclimbin' on, and reachin' landin's, and turnin' corners, and sometimes goin' in the dark
where there ain't been no light. So boy, don't you turn back. Don't you set down on the
steps 'cause you finds it's kinder hard. For I'se still goin', boy, I'se still climbin', and life
for me ain't been no crystal stair."
Well, life for none of us has been a crystal stair, but we must keep moving. We must
keep going. And so, if you can't fly, run. If you can't run, walk. If you can't walk, crawl.
But by all means, keep moving.
You can learn more, and listen to the entire speech, here,
http://blog.cleveland.com/pdextra/2012/01/martin_luther_king_jr_april_26.html
Youth as Leaders of the Civil Rights Movement
Did you know that thousands of children marched for the Civil Rights Movement and helped end
racial segregation? The Children’s Crusade was a famous march where hundreds of brave
children marched to end segregationist policies in Birmingham, Alabama. Other children
marched in Washington, DC, too. Young voices can help us move forward into the kind of future
we all want to see! This example might provide inspiration for the art and writing contest.
Suggested ideas: We don’t have to march to help make a change. We can also help make a
change through kindness and trying to help end bullying and racism among our peers. Students
can write or create art about times that they were leaders, such as times they spoke out to help
someone else, a time when someone helped them, or they can talk about ideas for how to keep
moving society forward so that racism no longer exists.
Learn more here http://mlk-kpp01.stanford.edu/index.php