The Martin Luther King Coalition - 2010 AWC & LWJ Awards

The Lionel Washington Johnson Youth Awards Winners

In its efforts to educate youth about the life, work, & principles of the Reverend Dr. Martin Luther King, the Martin Luther King Coalition offers an opportunity to students in Grades 6, 7, & 8 (including those home-schooled) throughout the state, to demonstrate an understanding of Dr. King's principles regarding a particular theme based on The Words of Martin Luther King chosen from one of his many moving speeches.

The theme of this year's Arts & Writing Contest: The Moral Arc of the Universe is long but bends towards Justice.

View the 2012 flyer here or email Sally Crateau, Secretary, and a flyer will be sent to you.

The following students were presented the Lionel Washington Johnson Youth Awards at the 28th Annual Martin Luther King Day Community Celebration on Monday, January 18, 2010...

Oyster River Middle School students in Durham once again swept the top prizes, however, a lone student from Barrington Middle School, working entirely on his own, captured an Honorable Mention for his entry in the Writing category.

Arts

1^st - Danielle Lelio, Oyster River Middle School, Durham

2^nd - Mercedes Murphy, Oyster River Middle School, Durham

Honorable Mention - Isabelle Beagen, Oyster River Middle School, Durham

Writing

(writing Contest entries have been reproduced in your Souvenir Program Book)

1^st - Matt Segil, Oyster River Middle School, Durham

2^nd - Amanda Martin, Oyster River Middle School, Durham

Honorable Mention - Jake Scarponi, Barrington Middle School, Barrington

First Place winners each receive Lionel Washington Johnson Youth Award 1^st Place plaques as well as $100 prizes.

Second Place winners each receive Lionel Washington Johnson Youth Award 2^nd Place plaques as well as $50 prizes.

Honorable Mention certificates will be presented to Isabelle Beagen & Jake Scarponi.

A panel consisting of volunteers from the Martin Luther King Coalition Member Organizations’ Representatives had the heart-warming experience of reading or examining each student's entry, then the difficult task of choosing which best demonstrated the above-mentioned understanding in their interpretation of the theme. This year's judges were Arts & Writing Co-Coordinator, Eva Castillo of the NH Alliance of Immigrants & Refugees, Ellen Belanger of the Unitarian Universalist Church of Manchester, Traci Belanger of the Community Advisory Board of Manchester, Linda Rockenmacher of Temple Adath Yeshurun, & Program Director, Vanessa L. Washington-Johnson.

Roster of Previous Youth Award Recipients

~ 2009 ~

Oyster River Middle School, Durham 8th Grade Students:

Arts

1^st place - Pranav Nanda

2^nd place - Jialin Shi

Writing

1^st place - Connor Grove

2^nd place - Lydia Watt

~ 2008 ~

Omer Elrayah, Southside Middle School, Manchester

~ 2007 ~

Arts

1^st - Victoria Harmon, Hollis-Brookline Middle School, Hollis

2^nd - Kestrel Arthur Cole-McCrea, home-schooled, Milton

Writing

1^st - Elizabeth Merrill, Kearsarge Regional Middle School, New London

2^nd - Alexa Foss, Kearsarge Regional Middle School, New London

Honorable Mention - Caiti Deane, Pittsfield Elementary School, Pittsfield

~ 2006 ~

Central High School Chapter of Amnesty International & Central High School Diversity Club, Manchester

~ 2005 ~

Pine Tree Elementary School, Conway

Martin Luther King Youth Challenge Awards

~ 2004 ~

Parkside Middle School, Manchester

~ 2003 ~