Twenty-two fourth and fifth graders from ISD Elementary Schools in Houston have been selected to advance to the semifinals of 27 Foley & Lardner LLPe Annual MLK Jr. Public Speaking Competition in Houston. The semi-finals will take place on December 9 at 9 a.m. at Thompson Elementary School.
To celebrate the legacy of Dr. Martin Luther King Jr., Foley’s MLK Jr. Public Speaking Contest is designed to showcase the cultural diversity and talent of the Houston community while recognizing and encouraging the skills of writing and public speaking for elementary school students. Organized and sponsored by Foley, the competition invites local students to submit original three- to five-minute speeches on the topic: “What would Dr. King tell us today about hope for tomorrow? »
Students who advance to the semi-finals include:
- Za’via Wilson, 5th grade, Atherton Elementary
- Jordan Lynch, 5th grade, Bastian Elementary
- Arianna Guillory, 5th grade, Blackshear Elementary
- Ellis Britton, 4th grade, Briarmeadow Elementary
- Persephone Stevenson, 4th grade, Burnet Elementary
- Masyn Mourning, 4th grade, Burrus Elementary
- Marquise Ambers, 5th grade, Cornelius Elementary
- Keinner De Leon, 5th grade, Crespo Elementary
- Abigail Oliver, 4th grade, Foster Elementary
- Kadence Smith, 4th grade, James H. Law Elementary
- Rosemary Nwaosuagwu, Grade 5, Kate Bell Elementary
- Angel Lopez, 4th grade, Kelso Elementary
- Violet Narvaez, 5th grade, Ketelsen Elementary
- Hannibal Trent, 4th grade, MacGregor Elementary
- Kowin McCormick, 5th grade, Pleasantville Elementary
- Kennedi Robinson, 5th grade, Reynolds Elementary
- Camila Alfaro, 4th grade, Sutton Elementary
- Zaria Jones, 5th grade, Thompson Elementary
- Joy Nsude, 4th grade, Valley West Elementary
- Xavier Holmes Jr., Grade 5, Windsor Village Elementary
- Alaina Madden, 5th grade, Woodson Elementary
- Journey Sensley, 5th year, young primary
The competition began in October with qualifying rounds at the school, which were judged by Foley representatives. In the semi-final on December 9, 12 finalists will be selected to advance to the final competition to be held on January 13, 2023, from 10 a.m. to 12:30 p.m. at the Antioch Missionary Baptist Church of Christ. Judging criteria include delivery, stage presence and decorum, content interpretation, and memorability. Finalists will receive a cash prize, a participation plaque and other gifts.
Established in Dallas in 1993, the success of the event led to the creation of the Houston Contest in 1997 and the Chicago Contest in 2020. Past winners and participants have given their speeches to numerous local and national organizations, including MLK Day appearances at the House of Blues. . They have also appeared on local and national television shows, including CBS’s The Early Show, Fox 26 News, Oprah, Good Morning America, The Today Show, and The Ellen DeGeneres Show.
To engage and stay up to date on this year’s competition, please use #FoleyMLK.
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