This year’s top honors went to Elliana Henkin (Rochester, Minnesota); Kira Stackhouse (Bentonville, Arkansas); and Jaxon Gideo (Rochester, Minnesota), who shared their winning essays with Βι¶ΉΣ³» team members.
The Βι¶ΉΣ³» BLAACK business resource group sponsored the annual essay competition for elementary and middle school students across the United States. Contestants were asked to write an essay with the theme, “What Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. Means to Me.”
“Dr. King was a prominent leader in the civil right movement well known for his unforgettable speeches like ‘I Have a Dream’ and ‘Letter from Birmingham Jail’,” said Kayla Brown, BLAACK member and customer executive, Retail Sales at Βι¶ΉΣ³». “When I reflect on the impact that Dr. King had on me, he taught me about being comfortable with the uncomfortable to create change. Dr. King knew the road wasn’t going to be easy, but with determination, change is possible.”
The goals of the nationwide competition include inspiring young leaders, encouraging them to aim high and strengthening connections between Βι¶ΉΣ³» and local schools.
These three students honored Dr. King’s legacy by putting into words what he means to them.
“Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. is a hero to me because he showed me how to be strong, brave, and to stand up for what is right,” Jaxon Gideo said in his essay. “Dr. King’s message of love and peace is something that everyone should remember and follow.”