Martin Luther King, Jr. Contest 2013

Theme:The Injustice of Silence

Contest ThemeDr. Martin Luther King, Jr. – The Injustice of Silence

In 1965, in a speech at Dinkier Plaza Hotel in Atlanta, Georgia, Dr. King said, "History will have to record the greatest tragedy of this period of social transition was not the vitriolic words and other violent actions of the bad people but the appalling silence and indifference of the good people. Our generation will have to repent not only the words and acts of the children of darkness but also for the fears and apathy of the children of light.” Additionally, Dr. King has been attributed to saying, “In the end, we will remember not the words of our enemies, but the silence of our friends.”

Contest ThemeDr. Martin Luther King, Jr. –

The Injustice of Silence

In keeping with Dr. King’s message of the “Injustice of Silence,” what can you do to promote

a just society free from bullying, discrimination, and the mistreatment of others

based on their race, gender, or religious beliefs?

Martin Luther KingAnnual Contest

District First Place Visual ArtsPaige Thompson, senior

District Second Place MultimediaJoy Hauser, junior

Presentation of Martin Luther King Awards at Prairie Trail Middle School Jan 18, 2013:

First Place Winner Paige Thompson explains her drawing.

Presentation of Martin Luther King Awards at Prairie Trail Middle School Jan 18, 2013:

Joy Hauser, Paige Thompson, Lauren Gawlak, Kennedee Bowes-Estes

Martin Luther KingAnnual ContestDistrict First Place Visual ArtsPaige Thompson, senior

First Place Visual ArtsPaige Thompson, senior

“Don’t let loud cries be silenced.”

Abraham Lincoln, John F. Kennedy, Martin Luther King Jr., Rosa Parks: “During times of injustice in America, they chose to speak up against the ongoing racism, prejudice, and poverty-stricken communities while maintaining an optimism of peace and changing the world one step at a time.

First Place Visual ArtsPaige Thompson, senior

“Don’t let loud cries be silenced.”

Do not allow the once loud cries of our historical figures to be silenced.

UNZIPUNLOCKDECODEUNLEASH your own voice and make an impact.

Martin Luther KingAnnual ContestDistrict Second PlaceMulti-media DivisionJoy Hauser, junior

Olathe South Visual Arts SemifinalistNatalie Robinson, freshman

Olathe South Visual Arts Semifinalist

Justin Tran, seniorThe colors symbolize Martin Luther King’s passion to represent all the ethnicities, perfectly blended, facing that perfect world he dreamed of…Equality for all.Today we still hold on to this dream and still strive for its reality.

Olathe South Visual Arts SemifinalistNatalie Robinson, freshman

“This is the eye of a victim or witness who can see no one is speaking out against the injustices done by others…It’s those injustices we see but choose not to change because we’re afraid we could be the next target.”

Olathe South Essay SemifinalistMikayla Smith, freshman

“In all actuality the bystanders are the ones with the most power because they harness the ability to stop the bullying...If every bystander would stop being silent and start doing the right thing, we could quite possibly drive out bullying for good.”

Olathe South Essay SemifinalistKennedee Estes, freshman

“You can’t bully without discriminating and you can’t discriminate without mistreating. So to promote a just society free from bullying, discrimination and the mistreatment of others, I will stand up for what’s right, raise awareness, treat everyone as equal, see everyone as different yet equal, and encourage others to do the same.”

Olathe South Essay SemifinalistKirsten Bieber, freshman

“If we all used our voices to stop mistreatment, eventually we would be left with a society free of it. It’s a bit of a stretch, but it could be reached. If we all stand back in silence watching the evil of harsh words escape through the barriers of each other’s lips, no good will be done. Silence is the weapon within us all. Stand up for what is right. We all have the opportunity.

Olathe South Visual Arts SemifinalistLauren Gawlak,

“It hurts more when the good people don’t speak up and the bad people are the only ones talking. When someone is hurt or upset and needing comfort the good people who are not sticking up are the ones who are the problem. We can help prevent this by letting others hear our voice and not letting you be pushed around by others. Everyone has their flaws but truly, we are all equal.”

President Obama at his Inauguration

We must … empower our citizens with the skills they need to work harder, learn more, reach higher. But while the means will change, our purpose endures: a nation that rewards the effort and determination of every single American.