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By Marie Mulvenna
Students in all parochial schools of the Archdiocese of Atlanta
are taking part in a special art and essay contest as the birthday of the late
Martin Luther King on January 15.
In addition to participation in the contests, representative
bodies from all the Catholic schools will be present for local functions
honoring Dr. King. These will include an ecumenical service on the
15th at Ebenezer Baptist Church at 10 a.m., preceded by the
traditional wreath-laying ceremony at Dr. King’s crypt. Following the
service a march from the church will proceed to the Atlanta Municipal
Auditorium where a community rally is planned.
The theme of the celebrations in Atlanta is “Keep the Dream
Alive: Do Something New-Make Nonviolence A Part of You.” Since Dr.
King’s death in 1968 annual observances have been held, strengthening his
nonviolent movement and teachings. Mrs. Coretta Scott King termed the planned
activities “the marvelous way people say they will keep alive my
husband’s work and legacy.” She termed the 15th as a
“birthday, a holiday, and a movement day.”
Sister Madeline Roddenberry, RSM, director of elementary education
for the archdiocese, is coordinating the program for Catholic schools and
announced that all school principals had been requested to encourage the
participation of their students in the contests which are sponsored by the
Martin Luther King Jr. Center for Social Change.
Students competing in the contests have been asked ‘Can you
translate Dr. Martin Luther King’s philosophy of ‘non-violence as a
way of life’ into a poster?” The poster contest is open to students
of all grades and winning entrants will have their works displayed at the City
Auditorium on the 15th and in other public places in the city of
Atlanta until February 16. Winners of the poster competition will receive
Martin Luther King medallions and their respective schools will receive
resource materials on Dr. King.
Sister Madeline stated that the individual schools will present
awards to winners of the essay contest, open to upper grade students.
Observances of Dr. King’s birthday will vary in each school
with local schools determining the specific program they wish to employ to
commemorate the occasion.
“We have asked all our schools to plan and execute a
meaningful education program for the birthday of Dr. King,” Sister
Madeline said, adding that many students were expected to take an active part
in the ecumenical program, parade and rally on the 15th. |
