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."
Chaylar Bradley, a 9th grade student at North Junior High, was awarded a $50 gift certificate and a plaque for the following essay.
Keeping Alive the Dream
By Chaylar Bradley
Dr. Martin Luther King was a leader of the Civil Rights Movement. He was a great man who helped us change racism and how black, white, native Americans, Latino, Mexican and other races to come together as equal and not be judged by the color of their skin... but the content of their character. Martin Luther King. Jr. was changing the whole world but when Martin died, people stood up for themselves for what is right and to stop racism.
I don’t judge people by the color of their skin. I have a lot of friends that are different races and I treated them the same not different. My best friend is black and Dominican and we’ve been best friends ever since and we never hated each other by the color of our skin or where we come from.
People today are still racist. I think that is really sad because that means that they didn’t learn anything in school about racism and how people were to each other.
What I did to make Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr. speech "the Dream to Come to Life", is that I gave my books, toys, and clothing to the children that needed it.
I took part in this charity because I did it for the children that don’t have anything and when I heard Martin Luther King, Jr.’s speech, I thought that I can change these children lives and make change for myself. When I went in to see all these kids I was happy to make these kids feel like people do care about them and what they been through in their life.
People in this period of time are changing their ways for the better because they don’t judge people by the color of their skin and I know Martin Luther King, Jr. will like that.
