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News and Messenger: Student speakers shine at annual MLK Day event in Woodbridge
Jan 17 2012 
A half-dozen area students presented their speeches to more than 1,500 people Monday as part of the 22nd Annual Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. Youth Oratorical Competition.
Gathered at the Hylton Memorial Chapel in Woodbridge, the crowd listened to impassioned oratorical performances, all based on the theme “The Power and Purpose of Education,” which was derived from an essay King wrote while at Morehouse College in 1947.
Inspired by current events both domestic and abroad, Seth Opoku-Yeboah, a senior at Osbourn Park High School, was one of two students who earned recognition as the “best before the audience.”
He, along with his younger counterpart, Jacob Gonzalez of Parkside Middle School, received the Joseph Bagnerise Sr. Award as well as a $100 cash prize.
“I felt really passionate about this year’s theme about education because it hits close to home,” Opoku-Yeboah said. “I talked with my coordinator, Ms. Christina Ross, and we decided that the theme, education as a means to fight social injustice was the best way to go. I talked about the revolutions in Egypt and stuff close to home with Dr. King.”
Opoku-Yeboah said current events really helped inspire his work.
“I wanted to get people to know they can affect things on a national, local or global level,” he said. “I feel like at times our advocacy is limited to just school or something like that. Especially now with the Occupy movement and Arab Spring, it’s very current.”
In addition to the money and title, the honor also came with a NOOK e-reader and an e-reader gift card, though Opoku-Yeboah wasn’t quite sure just yet what his first purchase would be.
“Probably Steve Jobs’ autobiography,” he said.
Opoku-Yeboah first competed in the contest when he was a seventh grader and won it as a freshman.
“It’s been six years now and I thought my last year I should give it one more shot and try to win the big award,” he said. “I’ve always been on stage. I’m happy to win. I thank God and my mom is really excited.”
All six speakers expressed how education has been the foundation for their lives and how it should be for everyone’s future.
They also related ways King’s struggle and successes are reflected now.
With a portrait of King set up in front of the pulpit, Congressman Gerald E. “Gerry” Connolly (D-11) commended the contestants on their hard work and impressive public speaking abilities.
“As we celebrate [King’s] 83rd birthday,” Connolly said, “we know his work continues and that we have to rededicated ourselves with the inspiration of his courage and conviction to the principle that all men and women are created equal and that it is our business to make that dream a reality.”
A half-dozen area students presented their speeches to more than 1,500 people Monday as part of the 22nd Annual Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. Youth Oratorical Competition.
Gathered at the Hylton Memorial Chapel in Woodbridge, the crowd listened to impassioned oratorical performances, all based on the theme “The Power and Purpose of Education,” which was derived from an essay King wrote while at Morehouse College in 1947.
Inspired by current events both domestic and abroad, Seth Opoku-Yeboah, a senior at Osbourn Park High School, was one of two students who earned recognition as the “best before the audience.”
He, along with his younger counterpart, Jacob Gonzalez of Parkside Middle School, received the Joseph Bagnerise Sr. Award as well as a $100 cash prize.
“I felt really passionate about this year’s theme about education because it hits close to home,” Opoku-Yeboah said. “I talked with my coordinator, Ms. Christina Ross, and we decided that the theme, education as a means to fight social injustice was the best way to go. I talked about the revolutions in Egypt and stuff close to home with Dr. King.”
Opoku-Yeboah said current events really helped inspire his work.
“I wanted to get people to know they can affect things on a national, local or global level,” he said. “I feel like at times our advocacy is limited to just school or something like that. Especially now with the Occupy movement and Arab Spring, it’s very current.”
In addition to the money and title, the honor also came with a NOOK e-reader and an e-reader gift card, though Opoku-Yeboah wasn’t quite sure just yet what his first purchase would be.
“Probably Steve Jobs’ autobiography,” he said.
Opoku-Yeboah first competed in the contest when he was a seventh grader and won it as a freshman.
“It’s been six years now and I thought my last year I should give it one more shot and try to win the big award,” he said. “I’ve always been on stage. I’m happy to win. I thank God and my mom is really excited.”
All six speakers expressed how education has been the foundation for their lives and how it should be for everyone’s future.
They also related ways King’s struggle and successes are reflected now.
With a portrait of King set up in front of the pulpit, Congressman Gerald E. “Gerry” Connolly (D-11) commended the contestants on their hard work and impressive public speaking abilities.
“As we celebrate [King’s] 83rd birthday,” Connolly said, “we know his work continues and that we have to rededicated ourselves with the inspiration of his courage and conviction to the principle that all men and women are created equal and that it is our business to make that dream a reality.”
“As we celebrate [King’s] 83rd birthday,” Connolly said, “we know his work continues and that we have to rededicated ourselves with the inspiration of his courage and conviction to the principle that all men and women are created equal and that it is our business to make that dream a reality.”A half-dozen area students presented their speeches to more than 1,500 people Monday as part of the 22nd Annual Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. Youth Oratorical Competition.
Gathered at the Hylton Memorial Chapel in Woodbridge, the crowd listened to impassioned oratorical performances, all based on the theme “The Power and Purpose of Education,” which was derived from an essay King wrote while at Morehouse College in 1947.
Inspired by current events both domestic and abroad, Seth Opoku-Yeboah, a senior at Osbourn Park High School, was one of two students who earned recognition as the “best before the audience.”
He, along with his younger counterpart, Jacob Gonzalez of Parkside Middle School, received the Joseph Bagnerise Sr. Award as well as a $100 cash prize.
“I felt really passionate about this year’s theme about education because it hits close to home,” Opoku-Yeboah said. “I talked with my coordinator, Ms. Christina Ross, and we decided that the theme, education as a means to fight social injustice was the best way to go. I talked about the revolutions in Egypt and stuff close to home with Dr. King.”
Opoku-Yeboah said current events really helped inspire his work.
“I wanted to get people to know they can affect things on a national, local or global level,” he said. “I feel like at times our advocacy is limited to just school or something like that. Especially now with the Occupy movement and Arab Spring, it’s very current.”
In addition to the money and title, the honor also came with a NOOK e-reader and an e-reader gift card, though Opoku-Yeboah wasn’t quite sure just yet what his first purchase would be.
“Probably Steve Jobs’ autobiography,” he said.
Opoku-Yeboah first competed in the contest when he was a seventh grader and won it as a freshman.
“It’s been six years now and I thought my last year I should give it one more shot and try to win the big award,” he said. “I’ve always been on stage. I’m happy to win. I thank God and my mom is really excited.”
All six speakers expressed how education has been the foundation for their lives and how it should be for everyone’s future.
They also related ways King’s struggle and successes are reflected now.
With a portrait of King set up in front of the pulpit, Congressman Gerald E. “Gerry” Connolly (D-11) commended the contestants on their hard work and impressive public speaking abilities.
“As we celebrate [King’s] 83rd birthday,” Connolly said, “we know his work continues and that we have to rededicated ourselves with the inspiration of his courage and conviction to the principle that all men and women are created equal and that it is our business to make that dream a reality.”