Tag Archives: oratory

For third time, a Cornelius ES student wins Martin Luther King Jr. oratory competition

MLK winner 1_940

For the third time in a row, a student from Cornelius Elementary School has taken home the top prize at the Martin Luther King Jr. Oratory Competition. Fifth-grader Richard Espinoza-Garza was all smiles as he took center stage to claim his prize. Now in its 20th year in Houston, the annual competition is sponsored by Gardere Wynne Sewell LLP.

Principal Karen Jackson attributed her school’s three-year winning streak to a combination of strong support and a positive campus culture. “We are highly competitive and demand excellence from our kids in everything we do,” said Jackson. “We have a speech coach, and every winner from our campus has had over-the-top parental support.”

This year, 12 finalists answered the question, “What would Dr. King say in his campaign speech if he were running for president this year?” Continue reading →

17th annual Gardere MLK Jr. Oratory Competition Finals on Friday

Last year's Gardere MLK Jr. Oratory Competition winner Mattias McBride.

Last year's Gardere MLK Jr. Oratory Competition winner, Matthias McBride.

Dr. Martin Luther King will inspire several elementary school students to pick up a microphone and show off their oratory skills in the 17th Annual Gardere MLK Jr. Oratory Competition Finals at Antioch Missionary Baptist Church of Christ on Friday, Jan. 18 from 10 a.m. – 12:30 p.m.

Twelve  students will be judged on delivery, stage presence and decorum, content interpretation and memorization as they perform original three to five minute speeches designed to answer the question –  “If you could talk directly to Dr. King about your dream for our future, what would you tell him?”

Aimed at celebrating cultural diversity and encouraging continued development of writing and oratory skills, the contest has had an impressive past and led to contest winners spreading Dr. King’s messages of hope on local and national news outlets. Last year’s second-place winner, Donovan Williams, a fifth grader at Cornelius Elementary,  noted, “As a drum major for justice, Dr. King would surely share the baton with us.”

Check here to see the speeches from last year’s event, including the speech from winner Matthias McBride.

What:  17th Annual Gardere MLK Jr. Oratory Competition Finals

Where:Antioch Missionary Baptist Church of Christ

 When: Friday, Jan. 18 from 10 a.m. – 12:30 p.m.