Allendale oratory competition keeps Dr. King’s legacy alive

“If Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. were alive today, what changes in today’s society would you recommend for his dream to become a reality in this country and in the world?”

That was the question students had to answer in the Allendale County School District’s MLK Jr. School Oratory Competition on Feb. 27. Five elementary students and five middle school students competed after being selected from class level auditions for the third through eighth grades.

“The purpose of this competition is to allow students of Allendale-Fairfax Elementary and Middle School to use their voices to motivate and inspire others through the art of public speaking. Dr. King once said, ‘Our lives begin to end the day we become silent about things that matter.’ So tonight, you will witness our very own students speaking about topics that matter to us all,” said mistress of ceremony Audrey Patterson, the district’s director of federal programs, accountability, and assessments.

The following competitors took the stage one by one to deliver their memorized two- to five-minute speech that answered the question.

• VaRiya Keitt, 9, is in the third grade and is the daughter of Shadeshia ­Berry. Her favorite subject is math. Her future career goal is to become a teacher.

• Chayce Odoms, 8, is in the third grade and is the son of Whitney Lee and Jonathan Odoms. His favorite subject is math and he enjoys using math apps. His future career goal is to become a police ­officer.

• Fernanda Millan, 11, is in the fifth grade and is the daughter of Shannon and Antonio Millan. Her favorite subject is math. She plans to be a doctor.

• Memphis Robinson, 9, is in the fourth grade and is the son of Brooke Robinson. His favorite subject is art. His career goal is to become an artist.

• Layla Robinson, 10, is in the fifth grade and is the daughter of Tonya Aiken and Jermaine Robinson Sr. Her favorite subject is reading. Her future career goal is to be a gymnast.

• Nevaeh Shiggs, 13, is in eighth grade and is the daughter of Shaquanna Conner and Tyler Shiggs. Her favorite subject is Social Studies. She wants to be a lawyer.

• Airrelle Johnson, 13, is in the eighth grade and is the daughter of Barbara ­Hartzog and Khary ­Johnson. Her f­avorite subject is reading. She wants to be a hair stylist or nurse.

• Ja’Cory Moore, 14, is in the eighth grade and is the son of Kendra Moore. His favorite subject is science. He plans to be an architect.

• Zy’khia Brown, 11, is in sixth grade and is the daughter of Shanique Rouse and A’keme Brown Jr. Her favorite subject is Social Studies. She plans to be a mathematician.

Sixth grader Logan Chisolm, the 11-year-old daughter of Delilah Hay-Frazier and Ty’Quan ­Chisolm, was unable to attend the competition. She hopes to be a doctor.

“As these young people take the stage, let’s listen carefully to the message that they share with us about the great Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. Dr. King was a man who spoke freely and fearlessly. He was a courageous man and even to this day we celebrate his legacy,” said Patterson.

A panel of judges graded the competitors on the intensity of their message, originality, knowledge of their speech, stage presence and how well the speech addressed the topic. While the scores were finalized, the audience enjoyed a mime and dance performance by students from Allendale-Fairfax Elementary under the direction of Elizabeth Meyers and Shanette ­Buhdu.

“Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. played such a pivotal role in bringing greater equality to America. He was such a positive and influential individual whose powerful voice and efforts helped to make our world as we know it today a better place. These students came before us this evening and expressed what Dr. King would say if he was alive,” said Patterson.

Everyone received a certificate and trophy. First place winners from each school won $100, second place won $50, third place won $25, and honorable mentions received $10. Prizes were funded by the following sponsors: Lampkin Law Firm, JLP Graphix, Exclusive Beauty Studio, and Mr. Seafood.

Before the elementary school winners were announced, Allendale-Fairfax Elementary School Principal Sheila Leath thanked everyone who played a role in making the competition possible.

First place went to Layla Robinson, second place went to Fernanda Millan, third place went to Memphis Robinson. VaRiya Keitt and Chayce Odoms received honorable mention.

Middle school winners were: Ja’Cory Moore (first place), Zy’khia Brown (second), Nevaeh Shiggs (third), and Airrelle Johnson (honorable mention).

“You all have worked extremely hard to prepare for this competition and it really showed on tonight. Keep being great. Keep speaking out. Keep being in the spotlight. This is just the start of bigger and better opportunities,” said Dr. Willie Robinson, principal of Allendale-Fairfax Middle School.

Regardless of the outcome, Superintendent Dr. Margaret Gilmore congratulated every competitor for their “outstanding” speeches and willingness to speak. “I am so proud of you. It takes a lot of nerves to stand in front of people and have something memorized, let alone just standing in front of people,” she said.

Just like Dr. King, ­students should keep dreaming and working to make the world a better place for everyone.