These are the winning essays in the Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr., essay contest sponsored by the Christian Awareness Program.



My Continued Dream

By Bobby Lash, III

Winner, ages 9-12

How I can continue the dream that Martin Luther King started is to stop discriminating against others by the color of their skin, religion, whether they are boy or girl, and judge them by how they act.

By stopping hatred in the world, people need to realize that the color of your skin, your sex, your religion does not make or break a person in the world today; what makes or breaks you is how act and what you do with your life.

We, as a society, need to understand that our ancestors helped shaped the world today. Martin Luther King’s dream for our nation or world was for all God’s children to get along and love one another, regardless of their backgrounds. Martin Luther King’s dream was for all races, women, men, and all religions to unite in love and understanding.

In Martin Luther King’s speech “I Have A Dream,” he stated that one day, little black boys and girls and little white boys and girls would be able to join hands together as brothers and sisters. Today we are able to go to school together feeling that we are the same.

Also in his speech, he stated that he had a dream that his children will live in a nation that would judge them for the way they act and live and not by the color of their skin, but there is still hatred in the world today.

There are many ways that everyone can continue Martin Luther King’s dream:

• Not hold grudges against others for the color of their skin, gender, or religion.

• Love everyone.

• Stop the violence.

• Treat others like you want to be treated.

• Judge people by their actions.

It is still hard for people of color, due to a lot of racism today, but in order for our voices to be heard, we should not result to violence; we as a nation have to stay humble and PRAY!!!!!! We all must not become bitter; we all need to love one another as God loves us all!!

The Dream just has not came to pass, but it is now a REALITY!! Martin Luther King, and everyone who has died to make a world a better place, are now in Heaven, happy and rejoicing because we are learning to love one another and not judge others by their background.

By Whitney Timberlake

Winner, ages 13-18

I can continue the dream by staying in school and being a positive person, and also by acknowledging the Lord at all times. Because of Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr., and others like him, we have so many opportunities today to do things like vote, get a good education and be what we want to be in life. We have the opportunity to become the president of the United States because of the great men like Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr., and president-elect Barack Obama.

I can continue the dream by allowing the Lord to change me daily so I can be a better person and love my brothers and sisters. President-elect Barack Obama said change has come to America. We need to allow that change to begin in us. Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr., had a dream. I have a dream that we continue this positive change so it can spread from generation to generation.

In conclusion we must keep the faith and lift the new president up in our prayers, churches, and our communities.