Poly Students Recognized by the MLK Community Coalition

Four members of the Poly community were honored by the Martin Luther King Jr. Community Coalition for outstanding artwork and essays. Olivia Z. ’28 won first place in the Upper School Essay category, Megan L. ’27 won third place for Upper School Art, Jasmine C. ’31 won second place for Middle School Art, and Jacob P. ’30 won first place for Middle School Essay, delivering his speech to a standing ovation. 

PolyNews spoke with the award recipients to learn what inspired their submissions and what the celebration meant to them. 

“My project was based on a zine made up of art and writing from students who experienced the wildfires. It focused on how people supported one another during the experience and how community plays a role in resilience. Reading everyone’s reflections and seeing how the community came together was really powerful, so I wrote about that in my essay. MLK Day used to just feel like a day off from school, but being there and seeing everyone come together gave the day a completely new meaning. It really reshaped how I think about the holiday.”

Read Olivia’s first-place essay here.

“I saw the submission process as an opportunity to challenge myself. I’ve been feeling pressure going into junior year to create something meaningful, and realism hasn’t always been what I’ve been encouraged to do. Making this piece was personal for me. I’ve always admired Dr. King’s courage and his ability to uplift people, and seeing how that connects to what’s happening in our country now really motivated me to use my skills as an artist. The event was really emotional, too. There were so many empowering speeches, and it felt full circle for me since I attended the event last year. The award reminded me that I can use my art to say something meaningful.”

“I really enjoy writing and research. I like learning about topics connected to civil rights and activism, especially because I didn’t learn much about that before coming to Poly. This competition gave me a chance to explore those ideas and share how they resonate with me. The award was a huge honor. There were so many important people there, and presenting my work in that space felt really special. I love sharing my writing with a larger audience. I want to keep doing outreach programs and writing contests. This reminded me how much I love writing and public speaking.”

Read Jacob’s first-place essay here.

“I’ve been doing art for years, and this felt like a great opportunity to create something meaningful and express appreciation for MLK Jr. With this experience, it inspired me to learn more about American history. I’m glad I got to work on something I love. It was fun, and it made me want to keep creating.”