Dr. Martin Luther King Essay Winners

Hameedallah Amin - Classical School , Appleton (2nd Grade)

Martin Luther King Poem

When I see a person in a wheelchair,
I don’t stop and stare.
When I see different skin,
I don’t point and grin.
Making people feel bad,
makes me really sad.
It’s not even cool
in fact it’s very cruel.
To stop these negative actions
we need to change people’s reactions.
Our world is growing every day.
We must see people in a positive way.
So let’s join hands in this dream
and stop this cycle of being mean.


Emmalea Kenevan - Edison School (2nd Grade)

If someone is mean to you, or somebody you know, be nice to whomever she or he is and they will probably stop because if someone is nice to you, you would stop, right?

I once saw a girl and a boy. The girl had brown skin and the boy had peach skin. They boy had brown eyes and the girl had blue. The girl had freckles and the boy did not. They were different, but still they were still very good friends.


Diana Hernandez - McKinley Elementary School(5th Grade)

“Hate cannot drive out hate, only love can do that”

If you want people to love you, love one another. Treat them with respect and love. Talk to them, walk with them, or even pray with them. Treat them the way you want to be treated. Stand up for their rights and stand up for yours. Give them things that don’t cost money, like hugs, visits, kisses, and more. Use positive words to those who are sick or disabled. Calm them down with words and not fists. Freedom, peace, love, dreams, respect, and together are all powerful words. Be patient with those who are learning. Be fair, share, and be gentle with them. Let every person in the world be who they want to be and never judge by their color or personalities. Everyone has different thoughts and opinions. Respect their thoughts and opinions, and maybe they’ll respect yours too. And if everyone would hold hands together and be brothers and sisters it would be a much better world. Whenever I see someone hurt, I always ask them if they’re alright. I always think that everyone counts and we are ALL equal. And if you show love to someone every day, you’ll see how much they will thank you some day. Always remember the powerful saying Martin Luther King Jr. once gave out saying “Hate cannot drive out hate, only love can do that.”


Hattie Kitzmann-Kelley - Kaleidoscope Academy(8th Grade)

“Hate cannot drive out hate; only love can do that.” – Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr.

Everybody knows who Martin Luther King, Jr. is, right? I mean, who doesn’t. The man is practically a legend. He gave us some of the most important speeches of all time, including the “I have a dream” speech. Dr. King showed love for all people, even those who hated him. Every day we should try to be more like him; showing love and care through our actions and words. If we all at least try to be more like him this world would be at peace. I know I want to be more like him. The reason I say ‘more’ and not, ‘just like him’ is because in ways I never imagined I am like him. Everybody is! The little things we do for people show love for everyone every day. Whether you smile at someone who is not having a good day or you rake leaves for an incapable neighbor for free. Those simple things we do show love for people who are or aren’t different form us. I remember when my mom’s friend’s daughter died. So my brothers and sisters and I invited her to our school talent show and sang her a song that let her know everything was going to be O.K. And one time when I was in sixth grade I knew a girl who couldn’t talk all that well, so I befriended her and she taught me how to spell my name in sign language. I used to go to Madison Middle School and while I was there I helped out with the disabled kids. I helped them into the school in the morning and smiled at them to let them know that I was their friend. Knowing that I can do something good for another person makes me feel good inside. It lets other people know you care. Just because people are different from us doesn’t mean we should treat them any different; they’re human beings just like us. I can’t imagine what this world would be like without people like Dr. King. If we were to put ourselves in the disable’s shoes there is about an 88% chance we won’t like the outcome. People would treat us different just because we look or act different. Now come on, that’s not right! It’s not right at all. So coming to my conclusion, no matter who they are, what they do, or what they’ve done we can’t just walk away from those who ‘aren’t like us.’ We should love everyone, because we’re all just seeds in God’s hands. Dr. King didn’t do those things for recognition; he did them because when he saw how we were treating each other he wanted to make a difference!



Maria Peeples-Appleton East High School (11th Grade)

My America

Walking lines of color
in an image, trying not to falter
holding identities as our own
as we search to find our place
who
are
you?
Black, White, Latino, Asian,
gray area.
Boy, girl,
gay, straight, bisexual,
gray area.
Who
Am
I?
still marching in the streets
46 years later
struggle is pain
struggle is strength
the courage of those who spoke,
who walked alongside buses,
who dared to go to school

you are the picture of my America

who we should thank,
who we should emulate.
In my America,
injustice fills our history books
with pages screaming we will not
stand by idly and wait
Walk, Talk, Sing, America.
Sing

Dr. Martin Luther King
Harvey Milk
Rosa Parks
you have all created the song
that removes splinters from my soul
with too many of you
dying in the fight for equity,
dying to feel alive, to be free
working for the America
that your children deserved
now I’m asking
what does the world look
like for my someday children?

when I hold their hands
up to the sky in which you now reside,
what laws will protect them,
what language will they hear,
what will the media whisper to
them about their worth as human beings?

Dr. King,
will you help me make their America?

today,
setbacks and tears,
my hopes and my fears
remember your dream
your vision of liberty, of one people
who speak words of hope.

still, words of hatred echo
in the hallways of my school
but the sound of love,
love, love
is ringing free in my heart.
for the children who never
questioned their friendship
based on the color of their skin,
the Catholic and the Atheist
who exchanged vows and hearts,
the two boys who dared to hold hands.

you are my America.

Hate, is still here, Dr. King
but love will still shine brighter
the power of your words
the image of your children,
all children,
God’s children

living free

in our America.