Polk County Public Schools
Polk County Public Schools and the Community Relations Advisory Council of the Board of County Commissioners announced the winners of the 11th Annual Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. Essay challenge Wednesday at the annual MLK Breakfast at the Bartow Civic Center.
Winners in the elementary school category are:
1st Place ~ Karin Belles Powell (4th Grade), Dixieland Elementary
2nd Place ~ Destiney Bonet (3rd Grade), Janie Howard Wilson Elementary
3rd Place ~ Ashy-la Lockhart (3rd Grade), Laurel Elementary
Winners in the middle school category are:
1st Place ~ Hayley Jackson (7th Grade), R. W. Blake Academy
2nd Place ~ Zaire Tyreke Clayton (6th Grade), Union Academy
3rd Place ~ Kworweinski Lafontant (7th Grade), Daniel Jenkins Academy
Winners in the high school category are:
1st Place ~ Derrick Higdon (12th Grade), Auburndale Senior High
2nd Place ~ Kennedy Mohs (11th Grade), Harrison High School
3rd Place ~ Jessica N. Seaman (10th Grade), Kathleen Senior High
First-place winners received a $1,000 savings bond while second and third place winners received savings bonds of $500 and $250 respectively.
This year’s essay contest topic was “What Does the Dream Mean to Me?” Students wrote about what Dr. King had envisioned or hoped to see and what you can do today to promote or advance his dream.
More than 3,000 students submitted essays for evaluation by judges from Polk State College.
