Salem Students Honored For Martin Luther King Jr. Essays

SALEM, MA — Four young Salem students were honored as winners in this year's Salem State University Center for Justice and Liberations Martin Luther King Jr. Essay Contest at the 34th annual convocation at the school.

Salem Collins Middle School eighth-grader Rayan Taku and Salem Academy Charter School student Dhanvi Kasula shared the honors for the middle school division, while Horace Mann fifth-grader Amaya Hicks and Saltonstall fifth-grader Julian Orrego were honored in the elementary school division.

Maddisyn Washington, a fifth-grade student at Horace Mann earned honorable mention recognition for her essay.

The four winning students wrote on the topic "It starts with me: How can I put into practice the Kingian Non-Violence Model?" with each of the winners getting $50 and a copy of the book "Marc" written by late U.S. Senator and civil rights icon John Lewis.

Taku's essay discussed a lesser-known King speech in which he says: "Darkness cannot drive out darkness. Hate cannot drive out hate. Only love can do that."

Taku said the quote means that violence only leads to more violence and the quote inspired him to be more mature.

Hicks said King's influence has taught her to treat everyone with equality, dignity and respect as well as about the power of peaceful protests.

Orrego said King's teachings have led him to learn more about subjects on a problem or injustice before reacting and to "become an expert" on opposing views while educating others.

Washington shared how she uses King's nonviolence principles in her daily life to intervene and support the oppressed in a conflict.

(Scott Souza is a Patch field editor covering Beverly, Danvers, Marblehead, Peabody, Salem and Swampscott. He can be reached at [email protected]. X/Twitter: @Scott_Souza.)