Essays, poems and art projects in hand, dozens of students filled the halls of San Mateo’s Martin Luther King Community Center this week to share works celebrating Dr. Martin Luther King Jr.’s example and its resonance today.

Focused this year on the theme “the choice is ours to stand together or live divided,” the 36th annual Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. essay, poetry and art contest invited those as young as preschool students and as old as seniors in high school to pen or depict their ideas on how King’s messages of equality and peace still ring true.

Having participated in the contest last year, Ayman Ahmed Khan, an eighth-grade student at Bayside Academy in San Mateo, looked forward to the opportunity to write a poem for this year’s competition. In crafting rhymes for his composition, Khan noted King’s belief in working with others to stand up for what they believed in loomed large.

“He seems like a person who decided to stand against all odds to do what he believed in and what was right,” he said. “It’s not easy to do that, especially if there’s laws against that in the government.”

Having served as a judge for the contest for several years, Foster City resident Marie Davis said she was surprised at the depth of knowledge the students portrayed in their work this year and how well they understood the theme of working together to accomplish dreams. Davis was also encouraged by the number of participants from nearby schools who received King’s message and embraced it.

“I was amazed,” she said. “You could tell that they felt it and that they seemed to have the correct message that there’s something that each of us can do, that we need to do.”

For Nina Smith, who has also judged the contest for several years, students whose work referenced not just King’s work but other civil rights leaders like singer and songwriter Nina Simone were particularly impressive and showed they learned quite a bit about King’s era. By reciting their work in front of the audience, students also get the chance to grow in their self-confidence, added Smith.

“It gives them the opportunity to know they can step out,” she said.

As a parent, Juleh McLintock said she enjoyed seeing her daughter Darra McLintock, a fifth-grader at Highlands Elementary School, prepare for the contest and spend time learning about such an inspiring figure facing challenges that still exist today.

“It’s nice to have him be the focus,” she said. “Not just for the holiday, but [as] a reason to study his works and his accomplishments, especially considering the time we’re in.”

Having coordinated the contest hosted by San Mateo’s North Central Neighborhood Association nearly every year since it began, Ethel Burnside said it was beautiful to see the students’ enthusiasm for the contest this year, noting they even braved rain to share their work at the Martin Luther King Community Center Wednesday night.

Burnside said she’s seen many students who participated in the contest as young children develop a deep respect for King’s work and continue to honor his example as high school students.

“It’s a learning experience for them to stand in front of a crowd,” she said. “That’s where you have to start, with the young kids.”

An awards ceremony will be held 1 p.m. to 3 p.m. Jan. 19 at San Mateo’s Martin Luther King Community Center, 725 Monte Diablo Ave.

anna@smdailyjournal.com

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