To help a new generation embrace the legacy of the Rev. Martin Luther King Jr., Denver Public Schools and the YMCA of Metropolitan Denver invited the city’s fifth-graders to enter a contest challenging them to consider how his ideals play out in their own lives.
The students were asked to either write a short essay addressing King’s notion that “the time is always right to do what is right,” or create a work of art expressing his dream of all people working together, regardless of skin color.
The best entries, selected from nearly 100 finalists submitted by teachers in 29 schools, appear on this page. They were to be unveiled last week at a community celebration attended by some 1,500 students at the Paramount Theatre, with each of the six winners receiving a $50 savings bond.
Also on the agenda were appearances by Mayor John Hickenlooper and several other community leaders, who planned to share personal stories related to the martyred civil rights leader.
The project, believed to be the first such collaboration in the country between a YMCA and a school district, was a large-scale version of an annual contest and breakfast long hosted by the YMCA as a fundraiser for programs at its east Denver branch.
“We decided we wanted to do more this year to make it a community-wide event,” said Laurie Porter, the YMCA’s development coordinator. “We thought that fifth-graders would be the best age, since they are heading into middle school and they’re more worldly.”
At DPS, which developed a special curriculum to facilitate the project, Superintendent Michael Bennet said it “engaged fifth-graders across the district and no doubt will have a lasting impact on their understanding of this great American hero.”
King, assassinated in 1968 at age 39, was first exposed to the YMCA’s stated ideals of caring, honesty, respect and responsibility while growing up at the historic Butler YMCA in his hometown of Atlanta.
-Jack Cox
“Tara”
Sylvie Novins-Montague
Cory Elementary
I once had a group of “friends” that could be exclusive and could start incredibly mean rumors about people. One day, we all started a fun little club. We did fun activities and talked while playing. A new girl came to school, named Tara. Tara was overweight and was self-conscious. My friends noticed, and teased her and spread rumors about her.
One lovely afternoon, with clear skies and warm weather, we were having a meeting. We each had to say something mean about Tara. Most of my friends said she was fat or stupid, which was not true. Next thing I knew, it was my turn. I tried to say something, but I couldn’t. OK, maybe Tara was a little overweight, but she couldn’t help it. She was definitely not stupid. In fact, she was quite smart.
One of my “friends” poked me and whispered, “Say something! Anything!”
The peer pressure was on. I was stuck. Like a fish out of water. I was just too nice to say something nasty. My friends stared at me, waiting.
I looked at Mealani’s dark, creamy, brown hair, and Cynthia’s dark, big, blue eyes, which shone in the sun.
I saw Tara across the playground, her eyes darting toward us, looking horrified. I felt a pang of sympathy in my heart. I slowly stood and my voice shaky, I said, “I quit.”
My friends burst out laughing, as if I had just told the funniest joke in history.
I looked at the leader of the group, one of my close “friends.” I told her right to her face that she was very mean and had no right to hurt Tara in any way. I told her a girl like Tara doesn’t deserve that kind of treatment. I walked away, my head held high, my legs shaking.
I walked right up to Tara and said kindly, “Hi, my name is Sylvie. Do you want to play?”
Tara nodded her head yes, and that moment, I knew I had made the right choice.
So whenever I see someone being bullied, I remember Tara’s scared, anxious face, and I try to stop it. My heart still swells up like a balloon whenever I help someone in need. Thank you, Tara, wherever you are.
“Helpful Hand”
Gunnar Bolstad
Marrama Elementary
From the quote, “The time is always right to do what is right” by Martin Luther King Jr. A time that I felt I did something right was when I helped out a Special Ed kid when two bullies were picking on him. It all started when I was in third grade. My friend Jevon and I were playing basketball. We were running up the court when we looked and saw these two fifth-grade kids picking on a Special Ed kid named Daniel. We stopped immediately playing basketball and ran over to help the kid out. When we got there the kid was crying really bad and the kids were laughing and kept picking on him. Jevon and I told them to back off but they just turned around and said, “What are you gonna do about it?” They then laughed and turned back around and kept picking on the kid. Then I got mad!
I said, “Knock it off or I’ll tell the teacher!” They could tell that I meant it but they didn’t care. So I told the teacher. The teacher told them to stop or they would have to sit on the wall. As soon as she left the kids pushed Daniel down. Daniel was really crying now. I couldn’t believe it. How could they be so mean? So I told the teacher again. She made the kids sit on the wall.
The kids didn’t learn their lesson. A couple days later they were at it again. They were pushing Daniel. They were calling him names. They were just as mean as the day before. Daniel was crying and trying to push them away. It wasn’t working. The kids just laughed at him. They knew Daniel couldn’t stop them. He couldn’t but I could.
I looked around for a teacher. I didn’t see one anywhere. I decided to stop the kids myself. I rounded up some friends and we circled the bullies. We told the bullies if you don’t stop then we’ll make you stop. They just laughed and said we couldn’t do anything. They were wrong. They might be able to bully Daniel but they couldn’t bully us. They pushed Daniel one more time. So we gave them a taste of their own medicine.
My friends and I wound up sitting on the wall with the bullies. The teacher said we shouldn’t have taken matters into our own hands. Maybe she was right, but those bullies didn’t care if a teacher got mad at them. My friends and I let them know that we kids weren’t going to put up with bullies on the playground. They never bothered Daniel again. It made me feel good about what I had done. It was worth getting in trouble. It showed Daniel he had other kids he could depend on. Sometimes you have to take a risk to do what is right. “The time is always right to do what is right.”
“You can, but I won’t”
David Camacho
Holm Elementary
During the hot summer of 2003, my friend came over to my house with his red bike that seemed to sparkle in the sun. He asked me, “Want to go bike riding?” I said, “Wait here. I will go ask my mom.” “Can I go bike riding with a friend?” I asked. She replied, “Yes, but not too long. It is very hot outside.”
We were riding around for not too long when he said, “Follow me fast.” So I did. We went through a long sidewalk with many birds on it but at least it was shady. The most disgusting thing was that dogs had pooped a lot right there. At least my red bike and his red bike didn’t get dirty.
We finally turned another corner. Exhausted, I finally said, “Let’s rest.” After a few minutes we got up and got to a 7-Eleven. He whispered in my ear so no one could hear, “Let’s go inside and steal some candy.”
I thought to myself, “Stealing is wrong and I should not do it. But if I don’t we might not be friends.” I made up my mind. I told him, “No, I don’t want to steal. You can, but I won’t.” I left and went home. I felt good inside because I knew I did the right thing. A little bit later I saw him pass my house with empty pockets. Inside I felt better because I did the right thing and I changed someone else.
