United We Walk

2011 Written Expression Winners

United We Walk XVII
Sunday, January 16, 2011
Student Written Expressions Contest Winners

“United We Remember and Move Forward”

Olivia Peace, West Bloomfield High School, 11th grade

A dream is but a mere starting point
On the canvas of life
Dreams sweeten the harshness of existence
And begin a process called 'what if'
That eventually morphs into 'remember when'

Once upon a time there was a dreamer
But instead of just dreaming
He decided to act
He became a great leader
And he shared his dream with the world

He grew a nation of dreamers
Into a nation of activists and advocates
And together, they made a dream
An actuality

However
An unchanging world does not accept dreamers
And some said:
"let us silence him,
And extinguish his dream"
For they reasoned that a dream without a dreamer will cease to exist

But a shared dream cannot die with the dreamer
It will live on pulsing through the lives of all the people within earshot of inspiration
So that dreamer lived- and died- a hero
Not just because of his dream,
But because he carved his dream into history and helped others to do the same.

So I say to you
Nation of dreamers
Rise up and share your dream
A dream that stays inside may fade away,
but an action,
an inspiration
A speech
Is what is needed to turn
I have a dream
Into
This is my reality

Mario Kakos, Orchard Lake Middle School, 7th grade

Followed Dreams

Martin Luther King was the man of a generation
One who stood up against the powers of a nation.
He preached peace, love, equality and hope
Oppression by color hangs by the smallest or rope
He marched through the streets, brave and bold
Always spreading his truth, never stopping when told

He led a movement that shook the ground
Creating a boom through the world, making the loudest of sounds
Martin had a vision to stop the oppression
All the needless terror and constant depression
He held his dream tight, with the clearest of goals
Wanting people to not see for color, but rather for souls.

Many thought that he was chasing a lie
Like caged bird, never getting to fly.
His passion ignited a revolution among all
Sparking equal rights, treating no one small

His dream still today, resonates through time,
I HAVE A DREAM; surely became more than a line.

Austin Goodman, West Bloomfield High School, 11th grade

The man who makes a success of an important venture never wails for the crowd. He strikes out for himself. It takes nerve, it takes a great lot of grit;
but the man that succeeds has both. Anyone can fail. The public admires the man who has enough confidence in himself to take a chance. These chances are
the main things after all. The man who tries to succeed must expect to be criticized. Nothing important was ever done but the greater number consulted
previously doubted the possibility. Success is the accomplishment of that which more people think can’t be done.
- C.V. White

Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. did exactly that, ladies and gentleman. He did exactly what the world didn’t want him to do as a person. He stood up in
front of a crowd and said that I believe that one day, things will all be okay. He stood up there and did what he was criticized for doing. He stood up
there that day, those days, those many times, and was the change that we all wish to see. Through his vision, through his eyes, and through his sole, we
all have that capability. Yet, do you think are you the change that YOU wish to see?

United as one, we can do anything. Through Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr., your hand and mine, this world can reach greatness. This world can band together
not as different races, but as one human being, and fight. But wait, when we are all banded together, there is no fighting. There is no hatred, and there
is no burning passion of crudeness and viciousness to the people we call our neighbors, our companions, and our fellow humans. When we are united together
as one, there is no looking back, there is only moving the world forward.

Dr. King had a dream, and so do I. I have a dream that one day, Israel will stop being fought upon and fighting with people, along with the rest of our
fighting middle east countries. I have a dream that one day people won’t kill one another over having a different skin tone, or having a different accent.
I have a dream that one day this world can hold hands with one another and truly say, we have moved forward, past racial profiling, discrimination, and
crude harassment that we pose upon one another.

Yes, through Dr. King’s vision, through Dr. King’s words, this is all possible. He had a dream that one day, the sons of former slaves and sons
of former slave-owners would be able to sit at the same table. It is our job as a human being, our job as ONE human race to ban together to fight against
the discrimination. But like I said before, when you are one, there is no fighting. There is only success, there is only moving forward. There is one,
and only one, one human race. Through Dr. Martin Luther King Jr.’s vision, words, and wisdom, we can move this world forward for success and greatness.
We just have to believe. You have to be the change that you wish to see. If you don’t put your foot forward and make that first step, then who is to
follow you?

Success is the accomplishment of that which more people think can’t be done.
But, it can be done!

Past Student Contest Winners

Selected Media:
Keeping His Dream Alive - West Bloomfield celebrates MLK with a walk
Oakland Press article from January 16, 2011

Honoring MLK
Oakland Press article from January 18, 2010

WB Community Unites to Walk on MLK Day
West Bloomfield Beacon article from January 20, 2010

Dr. King's Legacy
Jewish News article from January 21, 2010

Showing Solidarity
Jewish News article from January 22, 2009