ENTER NOW!!!  DEADLINE IS THURSDAY, FEBRUARY 28, 2019 ... BUT DON'T WAIT!

 

WHAT ?

• The Annual Dr. Martin Luther King Art, Essay & Poetry Contests

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WHO ?

• Student participants with special recognition being given to participating schools, educators and families.

 

WHY?

• To develop critical thinking skills and artistic expression through the philosophy and work of Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr. – and to apply those skills and artistic inquiry to today’s world.

 

WHEN ?​

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• Cash awards, certificates and t-shirts will be presented at the Family Awards Celebration

• The Family Awards Celebration will take place on Saturday, April 6, 2019 in the Dweck Auditorium of the Brooklyn Public Library's Grand Army Plaza branch.

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• Mark your calendars now!

 

HOW ?     READ EVERYTHING CAREFULLY!     THERE ARE NO SHORTCUTS! :)

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●  Students should submit outstanding material.

 

●  Entries must be submitted on-line through our Contest "Portal" (click here).

 

For more information, send an email to cbmlkcommission@gmail.com or call Marsha at (347) 599-2061.

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If you have any technical difficulties uploading your contest submission, send an email immediately to help@cbmlkcommission@gmail.com

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The contest topics you need for the essays, poems and art pieces are as follows:

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High School (Grades 9-12)                Essay word count: 800-1100

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Explain or illustrate the relationship between Dr. King’s work and/or philosophy and one of the following national topics.  For each topic, what would Dr. King do … and what will you do as a future leader? 

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• How should we respond to people from other nations who are seeking a better life for their families in the US or who are fleeing war or persecution in their homeland?

• Are high school and college educations important in the US today?

• How do we protect our environment in this time of global climate change?

• Should the US continue to use imprisonment as a way to protect the public’s safety?

• How do we reduce or eliminate violence in our society and popular culture?

• The “rule of law” means that laws should govern a nation and government officials should uphold the law. In changing the US and the world how should I react to an “unjust” law?

• How do we make and protect social change in general and/or through specific tools such as freedom of speech and voting rights?

• The importance of an independent press, non-political judiciary and/or the balance of powers in a democracy

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Middle School (Grades 6-8)               Essay word count: 200-400

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Explain or illustrate the relationship between MLK’s work and/or philosophy and one issue that you think impacts on your neighborhood, or on Brooklyn, or on all of NYC.  Think about how Dr. King would approach this issue.  What would he say or do … and what will you do? 

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Examples:

• Cost of neighborhood housing

• Gun violence

• Bullying in schools or on the streets

• Education in local schools

• Law enforcement

• How neighbors relate to one another

• How libraries impact the community

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Elementary School (Grades 4-5)       Essay word count: 100-200

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• Tell us about one adult in your life that reminds you of  Dr. King and explain or illustrate why.

• Describe a book that you would want to share with Dr. King.  Identify the book’s title and author and explain (or illustrate) why you chose that book.

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IMPORTANT:  EVERY SUBMISSION NEEDS A REAL TITLE, INCLUDING THE ART PIECES.

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