Newburgh - Each year, the "Keeping the Dream Alive" Award Committee challenges students throughout the Greater Newburgh Area to write an essay focusing on the life of Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr. Two students from 6th, 9th, and 12th grades are awarded for their interpretations of King’s struggles, achievements, dedication and how he lost his life pursuing equality, freedom, and justice for all people. This years essay topic was "Keeping the Dream Alive."
Jessica Barr, a student from Miss Schneider’s 6th grade class at Gardnertown Fundamental Magnet School, was awarded a $50 gift certificate and a plaque for the following essay.
Keeping the Dream Alive
By Jessica Barr
Martin Luther King, Jr. was an amazing man who did amazing things. He had a dream that inspired people everywhere, especially people who were mistreated and shown discrimination. He believed that segregation was wrong and that people should not be judged by the color of their skin, but by the content of their attitude.
I also believe that people should help other people and that nobody should be segregated or shown discrimination. I have helped people both inside and outside of my community called Operation Christmas Child. This is an organization where we make boxes full of toys and health foods for poor kids in third world countries. These kids can’t afford toys and other things that we have, but that doesn’t mean that they don’t deserve them.
You can put a huge variety of things in the shoeboxes. Some things we put in are toothpaste, small toys, foods that don’t spoil, and first-aid materials. Every year, before we send the boxes out, we watch a video about the kids receiving the gifts. The joy on their faces is unforgettable. It is truly amazing to see how they appreciate the gifts that they get.
Every month my family donates to St. Jude’s Children’s Hospital. After we donate the money to the hospital, they send us a letter thanking us for our donation. It also has a picture of a child with cancer in it. The children are usually, two, three, or four years old. They are adorable and it is heartbreaking to see young children with cancer. It can really make a person realize how lucky they are to be a person without cancer.
My family also supports Habitat for Humanity. It is an organization that collects money to build houses for poor people. This organization also builds houses for hurricane or tornado victims and tsunami victims. Every time I find loose change, I put it in a money holder for Habitat for Humanity. At the end of the month, I bring the money holder to my church. Then they bring it to the person who runs Habitat for Humanity.
Habitat for Humanity doesn’t only help people in America. They also help people in third world countries such as Rwanda, Tanzania, Ethiopia, and others. Habitat for Humanity is a great organization and it helps many people. It is one of the most important organizations there is. It gives people a safe and healthy place to live in.
Martin Luther King, Jr. taught a lot of people the importance of judging people by their character and not their skin color or how they look. He taught me a lot and he is one of the most important people in history. He had a dream and he knew that if he followed it through, it would come true. It did, and he is an inspiration to people everywhere. He made our country a better place.
