MLK DAY 2024
PRIZES
High School
1st Place: Laptop, Phoenix Suns tickets (2) & $300 gift card
2nd: $200 gift card
3rd: $100 gift card
Middle School
1st: Tablet, Phoenix Suns Tickets (2)
2nd: $100 gift card
3rd: $50 gift card
Honorable mentions (Grades 6-12) will be given school supplies or gift cards to purchase them.
Crisco Kidd is calling all middle and high school students across the Valley to help honor the legacy of Martin Luther King Jr. by submitting essays and speeches that reflect on Dr. King's dream, what it means to them, and what they want to see in the world for 2024!
Contest Starts: January 1, 2024
Contest Ends: January 14, 2024 (11:59pm)
Winners will be announced on Martin Luther King, Jr. Day (Jan 15)
Contest Theme: “My dream for 2024"
Submissions should reflect Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr.’s "I Have a Dream" speech and what you envision for 2024.
Contestant Categories:
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Middle School (Grades 6-8)
Essay = 300 words or less | Speech = 60 seconds or less.
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High School (Grades 9-12)
Essay = 500 words or less | Speech = 90 seconds or less.
Contestant Entry: Entries may be submitted electronically and written.
Electonic entries must be entered through our Google Form.
Written entries will be accepted but must be postmarked by January 8, 2024. Address is 1710 E Indian School Rd Suite 205 Phoenix, AZ 85016.
Judging: Entries will primarily be judged on the basis of creativity, clarity, and originality. Participant's correct use of grammar, writing skills, overall expression, and delivery of the essay/speech will also be considered.
CONTEST RULES
Contestants must enter First and Last Name, School, Grade, Age, Parent/Guardian’s Email, Address, Phone, Speech/Essay.
Essays must be the original work of the student.
Essays must clearly address the contest theme.
Essays must not be identical to any speech submissions and speech submissions must not match essays.
One 1st Prize Winner will be selected from Middle School and High School categories. Two additional winners will be selected per school level. Winners' names along with their essays and speeches may be displayed and recognized online!
HOW TO SUBMIT
EVERY contestant must fill out the following information:
First Name, Last Name, School, Grade, Age, Parent/Guardian Email, Phone, Address, and choose either to submit either a Speech or an Essay. Enter the information into the Google Form button below.
If submitting an ESSAY, enter it in MY DREAM FOR 2024 box.
If submitting a SPEECH, make sure you have access to a Gmail account to upload your video from Google Drive.
If you do not have a Gmail account, you can use the alternative file upload below. Make sure to introduce yourself in the video and record it in a quiet place where we can hear your voice clearly and well-lit place so we can see you.
Good luck!
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CONGRATULATIONS!
Sophia Lacayo
Wigwam Creek Middle School - 7th Grade
MY DREAM FOR 2024...
“I have a dream”, is what Martin Luther King Jr said on August 28, 1963. The purpose of King’s speech was to guarantee the passage of the Civil Rights Act of 1964 meaning, ending racism in the U.S. Nearly 60 years later and King’s dream has not been fulfilled as the generations before us had failed at making it reality. He believed that everyone should be able to enjoy the same rights or privileges. According to an article published by CBS News, it states,”Districts that were at least 80% Black got about a quarter of the money those with few Black students received”. The quote above demonstrates that even with decades of fighting for equal rights, black Americans are still being undervalued. Therefore, my dream for 2024 is to continue to create a society where everyone is based on their character and not the color of their skin. In order to make that dream come true, there must be a plan. The first phase of the plan is for everyone to gain a better understanding of the problem as well as deciding if they are solving the problem or a part of it. The second phase is fighting against it which can be done in many ways. Based on an article from UNICEF USA,”There’s nothing funny about using “humor” to normalize dangerous ideas and perpetuate ugly stereotypes”. This showcases that we need to call out any type of hate speech or racist joke. Another way of fighting against racism is showing support to diverse ethnic groups. We all must pitch in effort for his dream, my dream and many others to become the new truth. As William Barber says,”Instead, as King said, we must [be] dissatisfied until justice rolls down like water…”.
Raiya Nerooban
Chapparal High School - 12th Grade
MY DREAM FOR 2024...
I have a dream.
Martin Luther King Jr’s infamous speech prompted a remarkable change in the United States and remains prominent all over the world. His words were truly able to convey the importance of an integrated society and illustrate a better world where segregation did not exist. His words acted as the force necessary to change the arbitrary and discriminatory laws that were implemented at that time. He played a key role in the enactment of the Civil Rights Act of 1694 which prohibited discrimination of any kind and the Voting Rights Act of 1965 which prevented discrimination regarding who could vote. Martin Luther King Jr was an incredible and inspiring leader who will forever be remembered for his unwavering dedication to abolishing slavery and eradicating segregation.
I have a dream.
After moving to the United States, my parents finally agreed to add a new addition to our family: a dog. With the intent of adopting our first dog, my family and I visited an animal shelter for the first time. As I walked through the kennel, I was saddened by the immense amount of dogs that were yet to be adopted. There were over 400 dogs in the shelter and the tags on the kennels declared that some had been there for over a year. Additionally, I noticed that the majority of the dogs were Pitbull types. Regrettably, we were unable to adopt a dog at that time as my family and I were residing in an apartment with specific restrictions: pitbull types of any kind, even pitbull mixes were prohibited. I was incredibly disheartened by the restrictions against Pitbull types, enforcing restrictions against specific breeds means they may be less likely to be adopted. During my junior year of high school, I decided to take AP Research to explore the extent to which breed type impacts adoption rates. This led me to my research question: How does the Stigma Against Pitbull Types Affect Their Adoption Rates? As a part of my project, I ventured to numerous animal shelters all over Arizona to gather data on their dogs. I ultimately discovered there were numerous prevalent reasons for a lack of adoption of Pitbull types: reputation, portrayal in the media, common misconceptions, breed based legislation, and increased insurance policies. In truth, all dogs have the potential to be dangerous though with a responsible owner and, if necessary, proper training, any dog type can be a great pet.
In 2024, I dream that all dogs and all animals in shelters will find a forever home. In an ideal world, animal shelters will be unoccupied rather than overcrowded and every pet will be adopted. I hope that the stigma against particular breeds, especially Pitbull types, will diminish and all dog breeds will have an equal chance of being adopted.
I dream that animals will no longer have to be euthanized due to a lack of space in shelters and we can save all animals and provide them with a loving home.