Limestone NAACP, local government announces 19th annual Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. Holiday Essay and Art Contest

Published 12:30 pm Wednesday, December 13, 2023

Submissions for the 19th annual Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. Holiday Essay and Art Contest are due by noon on Jan. 5, 2024. Winners will be revealed at the Martin Luther King Jr. Holiday program at the Alabama Veterans Museum on Jan. 15 at 9:30 a.m.

Athens-Limestone students in second through 12th grades will have the opportunity to compete against their peers in either an essay or art contest to honor the memory and mission of the civil rights activist and leader. First, second and third place winners in both categories will receive a cash award and plaque.

Essay

Essays submitted to this contest must be written by the student — with only assistance from parents, teachers and counsellors — and be no more than one page in length. They can be typed or handwritten. It will be judged on clarity, content, grammar and theme development.

The student’s name, age, grade, school and phone number should be written in the upper right corner of the essay. The winners will read their essays during the Jan. 15 program.

The themes for the essay competition are broken down into two options for each age group:

Grades 2-3, 4-5

• “My Thank You Letter to Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr.”
• “How are you being a drum major for justice, peace and righteousness in your Community”

Grades 6-8, 9-12

• “How would you use your influence to stop injustice in your community”
• “What message would you send to your generation about how to keep Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr.’s Dream Alive”

Essays can be submitted via email to info@alnaacp.org or kglaze@athensal.us or hand-delivered to Kim at the Mayor’s Office by the deadline.

Art

Art pieces submitted to this contest will be judged on creativity, theme expression and artistic skills based on the chosen medium.

The student’s name, age, grade, school and phone number should be written on the back of the essay. Pieces will be displayed at the Mayor’s Office and then moved to the Veterans Museum for the Jan. 15 program. The winners will discuss their artwork during the program.

The theme for the art competition is the same for both the second through fifth grade and sixth through 12th grade divisions:

• Reflections: “A Community where Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr.’s Dream is Alive”

Artwork should be hand-delivered to Kim at the Mayor’s Office by the deadline.

More information

Please contact Benard Simelton at (256) 426-6406 or Linda Williams at (256) 797-3615 with any questions.