Students
took
on
the
inspiring
challenge
of
echoing
Martin
Luther
King
Jr.'s
compelling
message
of
peace
and
brotherhood
through
oratory
at
the
30th
Annual
Youth
Oratorical
Contest,
held
as
part
of
the
annual
King
Day
Celebration
at
the
Hylton
Memorial
Chapel
in
Woodbridge.
After
weeks
of
research,
preparation,
and
practice,
selected
middle
and
high
school
students
from
Prince
William
County,
Manassas
City,
and
Manassas
Park
City
school
divisions
showed
off
their
speaking
skills
as
hundreds
of
community
leaders,
educators,
parents,
and
supporters
listened.
Chosen
at
regional
oratorical
competitions,
the
following
PWCS
students
gave
moving
presentations
at
the
ceremony
as
a
tribute
to
Dr.
King,
focused
on
the
prompt,
"Let
Freedom
Ring."
Middle
school
finalists
(in
alphabetical
order
by
student
name):
- Nyela Asterilla Anderson, Hampton Middle School
- Kamari Chisolm, Bull Run Middle School
- Zion Fozo, Potomac High School
- Jessica Gyamfi, Charles J. Colgan Sr. High School
- Hanaan Khabir, Osbourn Park High School
These PWCS students took top awards on the day of the program:
- Amber Austin, Marsteller Middle School, was chosen as the middle school recipient of the Judge's Choice/Honorable Mention Award.
- Jarius Alexander, Brentsville District High School, was chosen as the high school recipient of the Judge's Choice/Honorable Mention Award.
- And, congratulations to Potomac High School junior, Zion Fozo, who earned the event's top award at the high school level, Best Before the Audience.
These
previously
announced
winners
of
the
MLK
Writing
Contest
for
fourth-
and
fifth-grade
students,
held
earlier
in
January,
were
also
recognized
at
the
event.
The
Martin
Luther
King,
Jr.
Oratorical
Competition
and
Program
is
coordinated
and
supported
by
the
Delta
Research
and
Education
Foundation
in
affiliation
with
Prince
William
County
Alumnae
Chapter
of
Delta
Sigma
Theta
Sorority,
Inc.
and
in
conjunction
with
the
Cecil
&
Irene
Hylton
Foundation.