Students Reflect on MLK Jr. Day

The “Dream in Art” initiative invited youth to reflect on Dr. King’s vision of equality, justice and unity by designing impactful posters inspired by his message. Students were encouraged to creatively represent what Dr. King’s dream means to them and how we can work together to create a better, more inclusive world.

“He inspired a lot of people with his speeches,” said Bentley, an 8th grader at Baldwin Jr. High. “I drew a picture of Dr. King, as best I could, and I’m going to put a bunch of his quotes all around it…”

Kairi, a sixth grader, built a miniature podium out of popsicle sticks and a small Dr. King paper doll to stand behind it, as a 3-D component to her poster, while Onia, another sixth grader, painted a portrait of Dr. King, which she planned to add to her poster.

Students in our Out-of-School Time Programs at Baldwin Jr. High, Hart Middle School, Hesperia Elementary and Middle Schools, Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. Academy in Muskegon Heights and at White Cloud Elementary and Jr. High all participated in this activity.  

Blake Dockery, a Program Assistant at Baldwin Jr. High said it is important to teach about Dr. King “So his message is not forgotten.”

“We showed the students Dr. King’s ‘I Have a Dream’ speech in preparation for this,” said Cecelia Hamilton, Site Coordinator at Baldwin Jr. High. “We asked the students what they had learned about Dr. King and quite a few of them knew quite a bit!”

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