Parks & Recreation and MLK Commission Oratorical Competition Scheduled for January 14
by Clarence Thomas, Jr. (thomasjr63@gmail.com), MGI Contributor
Dr. Martin Luther King said, “The difference between a dreamer and a visionary is that a dreamer has his eyes closed and a visionary has his eyes open.” His take on dreamer and visionary will manifest itself locally on January 14 as the annual Macon-Bibb County Department of Parks and Recreation and Martin Luther King Commission sponsored MLK Oratorial Contest taking place at 11am at the Elaine Lucas Senior Center.
The competition was open to all Bibb County middle and high school students through January 3. Participating students’ speeches will be three minutes long and formed around this year’s quote mentioned above. Students will answer five key questions as a guide for their speeches. Cash prizes will be awarded for the top three speeches from high schoolers, and the three speeches from middle schoolers. High school students will receive $300, $200, and $150 for first, second, and third place. Middle school students will receive $200, $100, and $175 for first, second, and third place.
Macon-Bibb District 3 Commissioner Elaine Lucas chairs the MLK Commission and views the competition as an important way in which the local community can honor King and support our youth. “This kind of activity involving the youth is essential in keeping Dr. King’s dream alive. We encourage participation in this wonderful, educational event,” she said
Natalie Allen is Program Coordinator for Parks and Recreation and the competition’s primary organizer. She agrees with Lucas and further stated, “People perish in the absence of a Vision. Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. had more than a dream; he had awareness, inspiration, and revelation. He grasped where the world was and how he envisioned the future. Our objective and mission at Macon-Bibb County Parks & Recreation is to develop healthy communities through people, parks, and programs. Our MLK Oratory Program aims to give purpose to our community’s youth by educating them in remembering the tremendous visionaries of our past as they become the visionaries of our future.”
The MLK Oratorical Contest is held in commemoration of Martian Luther King, Jr’s birthday and as a prelude to Black History Month. This is the seventh year of the event. The public is invited and encouraged to attend this free MLK weekend activity.
For more information about attending the oratorical contest contact Natalie Allen at 478-219-2091 or nallen@maconbibb.us. Additional information about the competition can be found at https://www.maconbibb.us under the photo of Martin Luther King, Jr.
