'MLK Honor The Dream' Contest Winners Announced At Cutchogue East Elementary School

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NORTH FORK, NY — Students were honored recently for their creative efforts to spotlight Dr. Martin Luther King Jr.'s message.

Cutchogue East Elementary School students Lilabeth Dantes and Jane O’Connor earned third place and first place, respectively, in the annual "MLK Essay and Multimedia" contest.

Sponsored by the Town of Southold’s Anti-Bias Task Force, the contest honors the legacy of Dr. Martin Luther King Jr.

Students were invited to express how Dr. King’s message of equality, justice, unity, love and action inspires them today through their art or words, the Mattituck-Cutchogue Free School District said.

This year’s theme was “Mission Possible 2: Building Community, Uniting a Nation, The Nonviolent Way," Cutchogue East Elementary School officials said.

The students’ winning submissions were included in a display at the ABTF Southold Town MLK Celebration on Jan. 18.

Additionally, kindergarten students in Jeanine Graviano’s class spent a week learning about Dr. Martin Luther King Jr., Rosa Parks and Ruby Bridges.

As a follow-up activity, the students wrote about their own dreams and ways in which they can bring about peace.

Second grade students read various books about Dr. King during their library period. They also colored collaborative posters with the theme, “Together We can Change the World,” which were hung throughout the school hallways to honor Dr. King’s legacy and message of peace.