by Laura Doumerc
Holland, Mich.-- Recently the seniors and juniors of Holland New Tech wrote essay entries for a Martin Luther King Jr. essay writing contest. The essays were submitted on Monday, February 10, 2014 by Ms. DeYoung, the New Tech Capstone teacher. This small assignment was meant to improve the New Tech students’ writing, and to recognize Black History Month.“Most [students] were not pleased to be taken away from their normal project work, but were excited to have the opportunity to win prizes,” Ms. DeYoung said. Her students were asked to write an essay based on this Martin Luther King Jr. quote: “Life’s most persistent and urgent question is, what are you doing for others?”
The essay had a limit of five hundred words. Students were also given a set of questions to answer. These questions asked them to explain what the quote meant to them, how they have given back to others, and why it is important to give back to others.
This contest was open for students in eighth through twelfth grade, but only the upperclassmen were required to submit an essay. The essay is going to be scored by assessing how well students addressed the quote and answer the questions. Of course, being that this is an essay contest, grammar and punctuation will be scored as well.
The essay winners will be recognized on February 17 at a Holland Public Schools Board meeting. The first place winner will be awarded a $100 Best Buy gift card, the two second place winners will each receive a $75 gift card, and the three third place winners will each get a $50 gift card.
New Tech students should expect more of these kinds of assignments in the future as more opportunities like this one become available.
