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41st Annual Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. Birthday Celebration
The Marcus Performing Arts Center has celebrated Dr. King’s Birthday annually since 1984. The Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. Birthday Celebration programming highlights the youth in our community who interpret Dr. King’s words through student contests. Winners will be showcased at a free celebration event held in the Marcus Performing Arts Center.
Theme: WHAT ARE YOU DOING FOR OTHERS?
“Life’s most persistent and urgent question is, ‘What are you doing for others?'” – Dr. Martin Luther King Jr., Montgomery, Alabama, August 11, 1957
All contests are currently closed. Winners will be announced prior to the celebration in January. More information can be found on the study guide.
All written and spoken entries must be 100% the students’ own original content. Any outside sources must be cited, and artificial intelligence may not be used.
2025 Art Contest Winners
Grades K-2
1st Place Kaia Plautz – MacDowell Montessori School
2nd Place Grant Grabowski – MacDowell Montessori School
3rd Place Pamela Greer – MacDowell Montessori School
Grades 3-5
1st Place Kyrie Barnes – Samuel Clemens School
2nd Place Chad Roy-Johnson – Samuel Clemens School
3rd Place Heaven Patton – Samuel Clemens School
Grades 6-8
1st Place Lucia Lamers – Milwaukee Parkside School for the Arts
2nd Place Noemi Cruz-Gutierrez – Wedgewood Park International School
3rd Place Mason Joseph – Wedgewood Park International School
Grades 9-12
1st Place Olivia Copp – St. Thomas More High School
2nd Place Karina Vanegas-Valdespino – Riverside University High School
3rd Place Alexis Frazier-Jasper – MacDowell Montessori School
2025 Speech Contest Winners
Grades K-2
1st Place Josie Evans – Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. School
2nd Place Dayon Robinson – Sherman Multicultural Arts School
3rd Place Christopher Lundman – Eastbrook Academy
Grades 3-4
1st Place Eddie Smith – Craig Montessori School
2nd Place Mason Walker – Eastbrook Academy
3rd Place Oumalkaire Osman – Zablocki School
Grades 5-6
1st Place Chad Roy-Johnson – Samuel Clemens School
2nd Place Renad Kabashi – Golda Meir School
3rd Place Nur Zahirah Abu Tahir – Victory School
Grades 7-8
1st Place Titania McHenry – Fernwood Montessori School
2nd Place Justin Eiland – Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. School
3rd Place Carneshia Louis – Green Tree Preparatory Academy
Grades 9-10
1st Place Dahlia Santiago – Golda Meir School
2nd Place Praise Ayodabo – Eastbrook Academy
3rd Place Taniyah Purifoy – Riverside University High School
Grades 11-12
1st Place Leah Serdynski – Wisconsin Connections Academy
2nd Place Sage Marshall – Eastbrook Academy
3rd Place Joelle Askew – Golda Meir School
2025 Writing Contest Winners
Grades K-1
Sherman Multicultural Arts School, Lori Carmichael and Lynn Beaudoin (Teachers)
Students: Brooklyn Atkins, Draya Bacon-Howell, Nygel Blount, Ka’Naisa Brown, Lakyrah Campbell, Camryn Dawson, Deovyon Harwell, Narriah Hinton, Mister Madison, Jaiden Ousley-Edwards, Dayon Robinson, Aubriell Smith, Amara Thao, Ray’Mel Thomas, Morris Webster, Anmani Wiley, Skylah Wills-McNeal, Pharoahaudry Wise, Royce York
Grades 2-3
1st Place Leanna Mitchell – Samuel Clemens School
2nd Place Journey Durr-Green – Richard Kluge School
3rd Place Thway LaMin – Richard Kluge School
Grades 4-5
1st Place Malayshia Riser – Samuel Clemens School
2nd Place Lailah Brown-Stephens – Golda Meir School
3rd Place Kyrie Barnes – Samuel Clemens School
Grade 6
1st Place Renad Kabashi – Golda Meir School
2nd Place Ruth Omoruyi – Eastbrook Academy
3rd Place Celeste Ziegler – Fernwood Montessori School
Grades 7-8
1st Place Yasmeen Zeriouh – Salam School
2nd Place Jasimah Kobir Ahmad – Salam School
3rd Place Maha Awawda – Salam School
Grades 9-10
1st Place Eternity Hopper – Milwaukee High School of the Arts
2nd Place Dimieria Johnson – Riverside University High School
3rd Place Ammarie Teague – Riverside University High School
Grades 11-12
1st Place Calvin Vang – Golda Meir School
2nd Place La’Zerious Hunt – Golda Meir School
3rd Place Kaleb Colbert – Golda Meir School
Sneak peeks of the event
Thank you to our sponsors
Bader Philanthropies (Presenting Sponsor)
We Energies and Milwaukee Public Schools (Speech Contest Sponsors)
Milwaukee Teachers’ Education Association and the Milwaukee Journal Sentinel (Writing Contest Sponsors)
Marcus Performing Arts Center (Art Contest Sponsor)
Milwaukee County Transit System (Legacy Sponsor)
Milwaukee County Office of Equity, Anthem Blue Cross Blue Shield, Educators Credit Union, Islamic Society of Milwaukee, and 101.7 The Truth (Freedom Sponsors)
Landmark Credit Union (Peace Sponsor)