ROCK HILL, S.C. (CN2 NEWS) – The top three finalist for the MLK Youth Essay Competition were announced Monday during Rock Hill’s 21st annual Martin Luther King Jr. Interfaith Prayer Breakfast.
The writing contest was open to Juniors and Seniors within the Rock Hill School District. Students were asked to write an essay around the Martin Luther King Jr. Quote – ‘Out of the mountain of despair, a stone of hope.’
The three finalists were announced, with Northwestern High School Senior Navaeh Moffatt winning the first place prize of $1,000 for her essay on finding hope through voting.
“I focused on communities that don’t really vote, because either they can’t take off from work, or they don’t have voting booths near them,” Moffatt said. “MLK has always been a inspiration for me. A lot of the words that he says really motivate me to get through my day and really I think he should have a whole month, not a day.”
Moffatt says the grand prize will help her with tuition costs for her upcoming studies at Howard University.
Second place in the contest went to another Northwestern Senior, Malaysia Wilson, who wrote about the hope given to her through her relationship with her grandmother. Wilson took home a $500 prize. Third place was also awarded to a Northwestern student a $250 prize.
