In early January, Marjory Stoneman Douglas students, Sarah Hale and Jessica Chung, were awarded MLK Literary awards by the Screening Committee of the Broward County School Board.. The theme of this year’s competition was “Continuing Our Commitment to Equality and Peace – 25 years and beyond.” For the competition, contestants were required to write what their plans for continuing their commitment to equality and peace. The awards were given to the pieces that won best in show, first, second,and third place, and honorable mention by the Screening Committee of the Broward County School Board. The judges looked for the literary works that expressed the ideals of Martin Luther King Jr. and related to the them in the most creative way.

“My interest in writing has varied throughout my life, but I really go into creative writing when I was in tenth grade,” MLK Literary Award winner and senior Jessica Chung said. “My writing process is sort of like stringing together a necklace. I usually have a vague idea of what I want the piece to look like, but actually putting each word in place is more feeling than thinking.”

Junior Sarah Hale and Chung both learned about this competition through their creative writing class with MSD teacher Stephanie Henry. All students in this class were required to submit a piece of writing as an assignment in the class, but these two students took it to the next level as evidenced by their placement in the competition.

“It was really rewarding to see how my writing was able to affect the community,” MLK Literary Award winner Sarah Hale said.  “I hope my poem will be a reminder to all that the only way to achieve equality is to work together.”

For those who are interested in entering something in next year’s competition, information can be found by contacting creative writing teacher Stephanie Henry or on the MLK Literary website.