MLK Art, Poem, and Essay Competition

The Brown vs. Board of Education Historic Site in partnership with Living the Dream, Inc., hosted a 50^th Anniversary Commemoration celebration to honor Dr. Marin Luther King Jr’s legacy. As part of the celebration first, second and third place winners of the MLK Art, Essay, and Poetry Competition were recognized. Students from Shawnee Heights, Seaman, Auburn Washburn, Topeka Public Schools, and Silver Lake submitted entries to the contest.

Skylar Pokphanah

There were 213 artworks submitted in this years’ annual MLK Art competition and two students from the Shawnee Heights District placed in the competition! Both from Berryton Elementary School, Skyler Pokphanh, received second place and Levi Shows received third place in the 5^th and 6th-grade level.

Berryton Elementary also had an essay winner! Araya Harness won third place in the 3^rd and 4th-grade level with her Essay titled, “Martin Luther King, Jr.”

Integrating art in the classroom at the elementary schools has started with Ms. Avery Ayers-Berry, an art teacher at Shawnee Heights High School. This year is the first year Ms. Ayers-Berry has traveled to Berryton Elementary School to teach art. The “Art for All” program lead by Ms. Ayers-Berry teaches art lessons to enrich standard based materials and learning in the classrooms. The district hopes to use the program as a starting point to introduce more art in the other elementary schools.

Congratulations to Skyler, Levi, and Araya! The winning artworks will be displayed at the Brown vs. Board of Education Historic Site, 1515 SE Monroe St, through January 31^st on the second floor.