“Darkness cannot drive out darkness; only light can do that. Hate cannot drive out hate; only love can do that.”  
– Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr.

Young people who are inspired by Dr. King’s vision of a society working together to improve the human condition are invited to enter the 2010 Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr. Essay Contest.

Essay contest winners will be invited to read their essays at the Annual Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr. Celebration to be held on Monday, January 25, 2010 at Denison University in. Winners in two brackets will each be awarded a $25.00 gift card to Target and also will receive Denison paraphernalia. In addition, the winning essays will be uploaded to the Denison University website for public viewing.

Judges will entertain entries from area middle and high school students. School personnel will be responsible for submitting (1) middle school essay and (1) high school essay to represent their school. Submissions may be in essay or poetry form and should not exceed four pages. Writers should relate their essays to the theme of this year’s community celebration, “Constructing Community: What Piece is Next?” Dr. King believed that community is achieved when all people can share in the wealth of the earth. A community is a place where forms of discrimination, bigotry and prejudice are replaced by an all-inclusive spirit of sisterhood and brotherhood. What are the characteristics of community? How can they be cultivated and sustained over time? A panel of judges will critique the essays. Originality will be a critical factor in the judging process. 

The deadline to enter the contest is 4:30 p.m. Friday, December 4, 2009. A sheet separate from the essay should contain the writer’s name, address, telephone number, school, and grade. Do not write names on essays.  Please do not use staples to attach name and essay sheets.  Send entries to: Office of Multi-Cultural Student Affairs, Denison University, P.O. Box 810, Granville, OH. 43023. Call Erik S. Farley, Assistant Dean/Director of Multi-Cultural Student Affairs at (740) 587-6605 with questions or if you need to arrange for drop off of essays before 4:30 p.m. on December 4th. Winners will be notified by phone on Monday, December 22nd.

The Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr. Celebration is a multicultural event sponsored by a committee of Denison students, faculty and staff. This essay contest is part of an effort to strengthen our shared educational mission to engage young people in building community. The Celebration has been recognized by the University as “A Day of Learning” since January 2000. 

*** Deadline to enter is 4:30 p.m. Friday, December 4, 2009 ***

About Denison:

Denison University, founded in 1831, is an independent, residential liberal arts institution located in Granville, Ohio. A highly selective college enrolling 2,100 full-time undergraduate students from all 50 states and dozens of foreign countries, Denison is a place where innovative faculty and motivated students collaborate in rigorous scholarship, civic engagement and the cultivation of independent thinking.

For press inquiries:

Name

Barbara Stambaugh

Position Title

Director, Media Relations

Primary Email

stambaughb@denison.edu

Business Phone

(740) 587-8575