
PWCS
student
talent
was
on
display
at
the
annual
Martin
Luther
King
Jr.
(MLK)
Youth
Oratorical
Competition
and
Program
held
virtually
on
January
17,
2022.
Six
PWCS
middle
and
high
school
student
finalists
spoke
to
the
theme
"Beyond
Dreams
and
Mountains:
Her
Voice-Her
Mission,"
sharing
the
vision
of
unsung
heroines
of
the
Civil
Rights
Movement
past
and
present;
their
vision
and
work
and
how
it
aligns
with
Dr.
King's
vision.
Now
in
its
32nd
year,
the
oratorical
program
is
sponsored
by
the
Prince
William
County
Alumnae
Chapter
of
Delta
Sigma
Theta
Sorority,
Inc.
(PWCAC
DST)
in
affiliation
with
the
Delta
Research
and
Educational
Foundation.
PWCS
School
Board
member
Lillie
Jessie
(Occoquan
District),
who
is
also
a
sorority
member,
is
the
founder
and
first
chairperson
of
the
MLK
Youth
Oratorical.
In
the
virtual
format,
student
finalists
compete
before
a
panel
of
judges
in
advance
of
the
program.
Community
members
then
watch
online
on
Martin
Luther
King
Jr.
Day
and
vote
for
their
favorite
orator
using
a
text-to-vote
feature.
This
year,
over
2,000
viewers
tuned
into
the
event.
Congratulations
to
the
following
winners:
Best
Before
the
Audience
Middle
school
winner:
Shavonne
Davis,
Marsteller
Middle
School
High
school
winner:
Varsha
Jyothikaa
Palaniyandy,
Gar-Field
High
School
Best
Before
the
Judges
Middle
school
winner:
Mahmud
Ibn
Abdul-rahman
Khabir,
Bull
Run
Middle
School
High
school
winner:
Varsha
Jyothikaa
Palaniyandy,
Gar-Field
High
School
Partial
performances
from
the
Best
Before
the
Judges
winners,
Palaniyandy
and
Khabir,
are
available
on
YouTube.
The
event,
including
all
of
the
PWCS
performances,
is
available
online.