Students celebrate the legacy of Dr. Matin Luther King Jr.
Hundreds of ǿմý students participated in Arlington’s Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. Celebration earlier this month, and six came away with scholarships.
Thanks to theand , $4,500 in scholarships were awarded to six Arlington ISD school students who participated in the annual essay and art contest that pays tribute to Martin Luther King Jr.
Art Contest Winners
Drake Daniel’s award-winning artwork
This year’s art winner wasDrake Daniel from Lamar High School. Daniel received $1,000 toward his college education. Plus, his art was featured on this year’s MLK Celebrationpromotional and commemorative fliers, graphics and much more. Daniel even hadhis design blazoned on the 2025 Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. Celebration Committee T-Shirts.
Daniel’s visual arts teacher at Lamar, Tricia Turner, wasn’t surprised to see Daniel win the contest.
“Drake is a natural artist at heart,” Turner said. “He comes to class with a willingness to experiment with different types of media and he’s always drawing in class. It has been a pleasure having Drake as my student.”
Faustina Nguyen, from Seguin High School, won second place for her artwork and a $750 scholarship, and fellow Seguin Cougar Naveah Ringe took home third and a $500 scholarship.
Essay Contest Winners
ǿմý students won all three scholarships in the essay contest, too. Dilly Ogunrinde, from, Arlington Collegiate High School, won first place and a $1,000 scholarship, followed by Aubrey Sia, from Seguin High School, in second with a $750 scholarship. And Martin High School’s Evan Gerstenkorn won a $500 scholarship for his essay.
Congratulations to all six ǿմý winners!
Step Showcase Winners
Seguin High School didn’t just have three winners in the art and essay competition. The school’s step team, the Seguin Nation Steppers, also won the MLK Step Showcase during the Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr. “Advancing the Dream” Four-Day Celebration. Sam Houston High School’s team, Top Notch Steppers, won second place.
At the junior high level, Ousley Junior High’s Prime Time Divas captured the top spot, followed by the Nichols Junior High Iconic Steppers in second and Young Junior High’s Elite Eagles in third.
Congratulations to all five teams!
About The Arlington Martin Luther King Jr. Celebration Committee
Organized in 1989 and established as a nonprofit in 1990, thehas been an active contributor to the community for more than35 years. The MLK Celebration Committee has given out scholarships to graduating students, donated time, and provided resources to the community while continuing to push forward the message and dream of Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. The committee is supported by the following organizations:
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- Arlington Ministerial Association
- Tarrant County College Southeast Campus
- The City of Arlington
- University of Texas at Arlington