Congratuations to Boardman State Essay Winners!

Center Intermediate 6th grader Meredith Wakefield and BHS 11th grader Aiden O'Bryant were honored for their award-winning essays in Columbus on February 23. They were the 6th and 11th grade essay winners in the Ohio Civil Rights Commission Annual Martin Luther King Jr. Art, Essay & Multimedia Contest.

The topic for this year's essay was based on a quote often attributed to Dr. King: "If I cannot do great things, I can do small things in a great way."  The prompt asked "How have you or will you work to promote quality and justice in your own way?"

Seven essay winners, one for each grade 6-12, were chosen from hundreds of entries. The winners read their essays aloud before the packed room, and then received their awards.

"I was so moved by all of the winners' inspiring messages of how they will follow Dr. Martin Luther King Jr.'s message to 'do small things in a great way," said AP English teacher Randy Nord. " Of course, I felt particularly proud of my student Aiden O'Bryant and his passionate presentation about how he will strive to make changes to the justice system, creating a more equitable system that does not favor the rich."