Congratulations to the winners of Polk County’s 23rd annual Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. Essay Challenge!
The contest is open each year to students in grades K-12. In addition to a cash prize, winning students read their essays during the awards ceremony dinner, which was held last night at the W.H. Stuart Center in Bartow.
The Essay Challenge is held in partnership between PCPS and Polk’s Community Relations Advisory Council. This year’s theme was “Building communities to help transform unjust systems.”
And the winners are ...
Elementary school, grades K-2
- First place: Savannah Slama, Winston Academy
- Second place: Alehandro Pratts, Citrus Ridge: A Civics Academy
- Third place: Devin Moore, Jr., Medulla Elementary
Elementary school, grades 3-5
- First place: Lee'Ann Duvalt, Dr. N.E. Roberts Elementary
- Second place: Marisa Frei, Dr. N.E. Roberts Elementary
- Third place: Mikenzie Dean, Dr. N.E. Roberts Elementary
Middle school
- First place: Oluwadarasimi Odeniyi, Davenport School of the Arts
- Second place: Collin Swaby, Discovery Academy of Lake Alfred
- Third place: Carina Lopez Gomez, Denison Middle
High school
- First place: Jayden Checkinson, Davenport High
- Second place: Alana Coombs, Polk Pre-Collegiate Academy
- Third place: Dakaral Curry, Polk State Lakeland Gateway to College High School
