Martin Luther King, Jr.
Contest 2013
Theme:
The Injustice of Silence
Contest Theme
Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr. – The Injustice of Silence
In 1965, in a speech at Dinkier Plaza Hotel in Atlanta,
Georgia, Dr. King said, "History will have to record the
greatest tragedy of this period of social transition was not
the vitriolic words and other violent actions of the bad
people but the appalling silence and indifference of the
good people. Our generation will have to repent not only
the words and acts of the children of darkness but also
for the fears and apathy of the children of light.”
Additionally, Dr. King has been attributed to saying, “In
the end, we will remember not the words of our enemies,
but the silence of our friends.”
Contest Theme
Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr. –
The Injustice of Silence
In keeping with Dr. King’s message
of the “Injustice of Silence,”
what can you do to promote
a just society free from bullying,
discrimination, and the mistreatment of others
based on their race, gender,
or religious beliefs?
Martin Luther King
Annual Contest
District First Place
Visual Arts
Paige Thompson,
senior
District Second Place
Multimedia
Joy Hauser, junior
Presentation of Martin Luther King Awards at Prairie
Trail Middle School Jan 18, 2013:
First Place Winner Paige Thompson
explains her drawing.
Presentation of Martin Luther King Awards
at Prairie Trail Middle School Jan 18, 2013:
Joy Hauser, Paige Thompson,
Lauren Gawlak, Kennedee Bowes-Estes
Martin Luther King
Annual Contest
District First Place
Visual Arts
Paige Thompson, senior
First Place Visual Arts
Paige Thompson, senior
“Don’t let loud cries
be silenced.”
Abraham Lincoln, John F.
Kennedy, Martin Luther King Jr.,
Rosa Parks: “During times of
injustice in America, they chose
to speak up against the ongoing
racism, prejudice, and povertystricken communities while
maintaining an optimism of
peace and changing the world
one step at a time.
First Place Visual Arts
Paige Thompson, senior
“Don’t let loud cries
be silenced.”
Do not allow the once loud cries
of our historical figures to be
silenced.
UNZIP
UNLOCK
DECODE
UNLEASH your own voice
and make an impact.
Martin Luther King
Annual Contest
District Second Place
Multi-media Division
Joy Hauser, junior
Olathe South Visual Arts Semifinalist
Natalie Robinson, freshman
Olathe South
Visual Arts
Semifinalist
Justin Tran, senior
The colors symbolize Martin
Luther King’s passion to
represent all the ethnicities,
perfectly blended, facing
that perfect world he
dreamed of…Equality for all.
Today we still hold on to this
dream and still strive for its
reality.
Olathe South Visual Arts Semifinalist
Natalie Robinson, freshman
“This is the eye of a victim or witness
who can see no one is speaking out
against the injustices done by others…It’s
those injustices we see but choose not to
change because we’re afraid we could be
the next target.”
Olathe South Essay Semifinalist
Mikayla Smith, freshman
“In all actuality the bystanders are the
ones with the most power because
they harness the ability to stop the
bullying...If every bystander would stop
being silent and start doing the right
thing, we could quite possibly drive out
bullying for good.”
Olathe South Essay Semifinalist
Kennedee Estes, freshman
“You can’t bully without discriminating and
you can’t discriminate without mistreating. So
to promote a just society free from bullying,
discrimination and the mistreatment of
others, I will stand up for what’s right, raise
awareness, treat everyone as equal, see
everyone as different yet equal, and
encourage others to do the same.”
Olathe South Essay Semifinalist
Kirsten Bieber, freshman
“If we all used our voices to stop
mistreatment, eventually we would be left
with a society free of it. It’s a bit of a stretch,
but it could be reached. If we all stand back in
silence watching the evil of harsh words
escape through the barriers of each other’s
lips, no good will be done. Silence is the
weapon within us all. Stand up for what is
right. We all have the opportunity.
Olathe South Visual Arts Semifinalist
Lauren Gawlak,
“It hurts more when the good people don’t
speak up and the bad people are the only
ones talking. When someone is hurt or upset
and needing comfort the good people who
are not sticking up are the ones who are the
problem. We can help prevent this by letting
others hear our voice and not letting you be
pushed around by others. Everyone has their
flaws but truly, we are all equal.”
President Obama
at his Inauguration
We must … empower our
citizens with the skills they
need to work harder, learn
more, reach higher. But
while the means will
change, our purpose
endures: a nation that
rewards the effort and
determination of every
single American.