“If we fail to stand up for the falsely accused and oppressed, we are no better than the accusers and oppressors,” Dustin Klein, First Place Winner of the Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr. Scholarship Essay Contest, said to a crowd of more than 800 at the 26th Annual Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr. Commemorative Breakfast on January 17, 2011.Â
“If we fail to take action and put an end to hate and violence, we fail to stop hatred and the racism that’ll engulf the globe. If we fail to do what’s right and take action, we fail to be human,” said Klein. “By failing to stand up and speak for others, we eventually fall as a whole, towards hate and discrimination that destroys the world.”
“To this day, Dr. Martin Luther King’s legacy still challenges us to remove the veil of hatred and discrimination and let the light of acceptance and love illuminate our once blinded eyes,” he concluded.
Klein, a senior at Marquette High School, is one of many students from high schools in the St. Louis metropolitan area that submitted essays in the 2011 Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. Commemorative Breakfast Scholarships Essay Contest.
Ellington Wade, a senior at Ladue Horton Watkins High School, received second place and Cameron Wilbert, a senior at Cardinal Ritter High School, received third place for their essays.
In addition to the scholarship presentations, two individuals received distinguished awards.
The YMCA of Greater St. Louis Human Dignity Award, which is awarded to a community leader who works to further human understanding, was awarded to St. Louis native Dr. Henry Givens Jr. Dr. Givens has been president of Harris-Stowe State University since it became a state school in 1979. Under the leadership of Dr. Givens Harris-Stowe has greatly expanded its degree programs; has opened its first business school satellite campus in South St. Louis; has expanded the university’s academic program to include 14 degree programs in selected applied professional disciplines; has tripled its student enrollment since entering the State System; and has changed its status from College to University, to name a few of its accomplishments. Dr. Givens has served as chairman of the Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr. State Celebration Commission for Missouri since its inception in 1986.
The Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr. Tribute Award, which is given to an individual who takes lessons from Dr. King’s life and applies them to his or her own in order to advance the people they serve, was awarded to the Thompson Family, in acknowledgment of the work and sacrifices of Tyrone Thompson. He dedicated his life to upholding the law, raising his three children (Tyrell, Kayla and Tyler), and pursuing educational goals to enhance his knowledge and skills. By mentoring young men, he demonstrated how to live Dr. King’s dream by loving, not hating; sharing and understanding; and helping adolescents to flourish as nonviolent proponents.
Thompson’s children, Tyrell, Kayla and Tyler accepted the award in his memory. “Even though he is gone, his work is not finished. I see a lot of the older generation in the crowd but it’s time to pass the torch,” said Tyler Thompson.
Dr. Givens presented Gary Schalansker, president and CEO of the YMCA of Greater St. Louis, and Cenia Bosman, senior vice president of Administrative Services for the YMCA of Greater St. Louis, with the 25th Anniversary MLK Medallion on behalf of Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr. State Celebration Commission for Missouri for their service and commitment to the community.
The Rev. Earl Nance Jr., pastor of Greater Mount Carmel Missionary Baptist Church, uplifted the crowd with inspirational words of encouragement and service to continue to live the dream. The Commemorative Breakfast ended with Phase 2 leading the audience in We Shall Overcome.
The Dr. Martin Luther King Commemorative Breakfast is a time of celebration and tribute to the life and legacy of Dr. Martin Luther King. The event is a partnership between the YMCA of Greater St. Louis, the St. Louis Clergy Coalition and the National Pan Hellenic Council, Inc. of St. Louis. Anheuser-Busch In-Bev Companies is the participating sponsor.