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MLK poster-making contest winners hailed
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Posted on Feb 15 2012
By Clarissa David
Reporter
Reporter
The African-American Cultural Preservation Committee on Saipan presented on Monday the prizes for the winners of the poster-making contest in celebration of Martin Luther King, Jr. day last month.
AACPC president Joe Hill and secretary Elena Delos Santos awarded $50 to first place winner Jesica Andebor, $35 to second placer Edrian David, and $20 to third place winner Ericho David outside the American Memorial Park in Garapan.
A sixth grader at Koblerville Elementary School, Andebor wrote in her winning poster excerpts from King’s famous “I Have A Dream” speech. Meanwhile, Edrian David is a third grader at Garapan Elementary School and wrote in his placard “I have a dream and it came true” while his brother, second grader Ericho David wrote “Equality for all.”
Andebor said in an interview that she didn’t know about King until after the MLK celebration organized by AACPC last Jan. 16 at the American Memorial Park, which featured world-renowned civil rights advocate Dr. Amos C. Brown who was a student of King.
“He was a good person,” Andebor told Saipan Tribune. “Before he was born, people were divided as blacks and whites. When he realized that it wasn’t fair, he did everything he could to change that. After his speech, everything started to change and there was no more division between blacks and whites. Everything was one.”
Andebor said she plans to use her prize money when she joins her group, the Umang Glee Club, to defend their title next month at the Tumon Bay Music Festival.
Hill, for his part, said this year’s submissions and entries were “fantastic” and “really hit the point.”
“We appreciate the participation of the kids. They really turned out this year,” he said.
According to Hill, the participation among the youth demonstrates improved awareness on their part regarding the civil rights movement, which is why their group will continue the poster-making contest in their annual MLK celebration.
“I would like to thank everyone for their participation and support this year. We look forward to next year,” he added.
