Ohio University Eastern honors Dr. King’s legacy through annual essay contest

Words about justice, hope and humanity filled the room as students from across the region were honored during the annual Ohio University Eastern Martin Luther King Jr. Writing Contest celebration held Jan. 29 at Ohio University Eastern.

This year’s middle school first place winner, Hattie Warne of Buckeye Trail Middle School, captured the spirit of Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. through poetry that urged readers to look beyond divisions. In her winning entry, Warne wrote, “If we look beyond our line, and see all people as yours and mine, then peace will grow, the walls will fall, and kindness will be shared by all.”

High school students also reflected on how Dr. King’s teachings continue to shape their understanding of service and compassion. First place winner Saige Anthony of Harrison Central High School focused on everyday actions to honor Dr. King’s legacy, writing, “If I can bring light to somebody’s darkness in their everyday life then I have fulfilled my mission to spread more awareness and joy to the world.”

The celebration featured a keynote address from Ron Scott, cultural diversity and community outreach program director at the Wheeling YWCA. Scott encouraged students to view Dr. King not only as a dreamer, but as a strategist, emphasizing the careful planning behind pivotal moments of the Civil Rights Movement, including the Montgomery bus boycott and the march across the Edmund Pettus Bridge.

“When I think about his legacy, I like to focus on his belief in others and his belief in humanity,” Scott said. “He had to believe that if people saw injustice, if they saw suffering and pain, they would not stand for it. He trusted that there was enough humanity in people to move them to action.”

Students were joined at the event by family members and educators from local school districts, underscoring the community wide support behind the annual contest. 

“When students put Dr. King’s ideas into their own words, it shows that his legacy is not confined to history books,” said Richard W. Greenlee, Ohio University Eastern interim campus dean. “It’s alive in how young people think about community, empathy and leadership today, and their compassion for others gives me great hope for what lies ahead.” 

Martin Luther King Jr. Writing Contest Winners

Middle School Division
First place: Hattie Warne, Buckeye Trail Middle School
Second place: Geneivieve Hess, Buckeye Trail Middle School
Third place: Kason Rosnick, Bridgeport Middle School

High School Division
First place: Saige Anthony, Harrison Central High School
Second place: Brayleigh Hickman, Buckeye Trail High School
Third place: Karalynn Tindall, Buckeye Trail High School

As the winners accepted their awards and shared their work, the celebration reflected the ideals Dr. King championed, thoughtful expression, shared humanity and the power of words to inspire future leaders.