Cedric Munroe is a self-professed pessimist. He always thought the odds were stacked against him, so he never gave entering competitions a second thought. But there was something about the sixth annual Martin Luther King Jr. essay competition that enticed him to give his writing skills a whirl. He went with his gut instinct and it paid off. Munroe's essay written on Maya Angelou proved to be a winner. He bested the 120 entries from around the country.
"I was elated," said the Doris Johnson High School senior. "When you enter things like this, you go in not knowing what will come of it ... if you will even place. But I knew within myself that if I worked hard enough I definitely would get something from it," he said.
His winning essay earned his school a visit from the United States Charge d'Affaires, John Dinkelman who presented Cedric with an iPad and a certificate noting his accomplishment in front of his peers. Six other students from the school were also presented with certificates for penning essays to enter as well.
Students had to select any American civil rights leader who was inspired by Martin Luther King and write an original essay of 500 words or less that articulated his/her contributions to the civil rights movement. Students also had to describe what they could do or what they have done in their own community to contribute to a more peaceful and non-violent world.
Cedric wrote on how King Jr. influenced poet, author and activist Maya Angelou.
"I chose Maya Angelou because she is different and I love that she has done a lot through her poetry, books and speeches. She has really done a lot through her work by inspiring people -- particularly teen mothers. She was able to use her own tragedies, rape and teen pregnancy as a way to encourage other people, especially younger women to keep on striving."
The 17-year-old said he enjoyed writing the essay because what he learned made him feel good. He said that writing, like other art forms, requires patience and time to make it perfect, which he did to make it the best possible entry he could. Although winning was great, Cedric's hope is that people really learn something from what he wrote about.
Fifteen-year-old, Channon Pennicooke, also entered an essay in the competition. Although she didn't win, she said the process of writing the essay was an invaluable experience because it forced her to research black history from an angle she hadn't been taught in school.
The tenth grade student at Doris Johnson penned her essay on Amelia Boynton-Robinson, a yong woman who campaigned for women's suffrage, and was a leader of the American Civil Rights Movement in Selma, Alabama. She was awarded the Martin Luther King Jr. Freedom Medal in 1990.
"I was thinking of doing it on another person like Rosa Parks or Jesse Jackson but my English teacher advised me not to since they are both popular activists and numerous other students were likely to write on them. Although it would've been easier to write on one of the more popular people, I am glad I did write on Boynton-Robinson because I never even heard of her before the competition."
As she did her research, Pennicooke said she didn't find a lot of information on Boynton-Robinson, which forced her to look at her topic in a new way. As she found more information, she said it became really interesting.
Shashla Bethune, Dominic Cooper, Brittany Saunders, Shanise McLennon and Rodney Brown were the other Doris Johnson School students that entered essays into the competition.
Dinkelman presented Munroe with his prize and the other participants from the school with certificates of participation. He was pleased that so many young people participated in the essay competition and had so much to say.
Although Dinkelman did not have a say in deciding on the best entry, he said what struck him about the winning essay was that it was one filled with earnestness and genuine emotion. He said putting oneself into one's work and writing from the heart is probably one of the main reasons why Munroe outshone his peers and took home the prize.
Doris Johnson School principal Linda Major, was proud that her students participated in the competition and especially of Munroe whose essay earned the school its second consecutive win in the annual competition. She was even more proud that the winners had been males, which she said set a positive example for their counterparts.
"This is so great to see that the students are doing so well -- especially the males," said Major. "The winner of last year's competition was D'Angelo Rahming. He's now in grade 12 and still doing well. So for Cedric to come and win the competition shows that we really have talent in our school and our young men are doing something great. This is a good boost for other young men to aim to do their best and soar. We can see that they can and we are proud of them," she said.
Cedric Munroe's winning essay
"It's not a past tense for me. Dr. King continues to have an impact on my life, as he does upon the lives of many people in the world. A dream never dies. I'm trying to be that fair person, that kind, generous and courageous person, that loving person that Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. was and encouraged us to become." -- Maya Angelou.
Marguerite Ann Johnson, more commonly known as Dr. Maya Angelou, was born on April 4, 1928. She is a known actress, activist, poet, author and an Academy of Achievement inductee. This "Phenomenal Woman" has inspired many persons. She has inspired me to write poetry of my own, a few of which have won awards. Dr. Angelou fights for civil rights. She advocates equality among all races and same sex marriages, and motivates teen mothers and neglected persons to surmount their struggles.
Maya Angelou has traveled the world teaching moral values and virtues. She has been the voice for those who don't have the courage to speak. Dr. Angelou volunteers her time at high schools around America to divulge her life experiences. Having been a teenage mother, she knows the cruel pejoratives that premature mothers face. She has dedicated a portion of her autobiography, "I Know Why The Caged Bird Sings" to them. Dr. Angelou has counseled teen mothers, built their courage and motivated them to aspire for transcendence.
In addition, Dr. Angelou has focused on neglect within the black community. After witnessing blacks fighting blacks and committing adultery, she perceives these as "acts of negligence." To this end, Dr. Angelou has spent much time educating blacks of the importance of being their brother's keeper. Through her lectures at Wake Forest University, she has encouraged youths to be concerned for the welfare of others.
Furthermore, Dr. Angelou is an advocate of same sex marriage. Dr. King's teachings are evident in the works of Dr. Angelou. In order to eradicate this prejudice in society, Dr. Angelou has used her poetry to make others tolerant and more accepting of the gay community. She has recited her poem, "Still I Rise" at same sex conferences across America. Presently, she fights for the rights of gays with the intention of abolishing discrimination against them.
Both Dr. King and Dr. Angelou have inspired me to be a difference maker. I have made it my goal to make the world a more peaceful place. At my school, I'm the vice-president of the Interact Club. We've donated money and labor to the needy, and also comforted the elderly. My student council body and I have implemented a peer-tutoring program, to work with the academically challenged at my school. Additionally, as a prefect, I have taken time to talk with my male peers about anger management. Dr. Angelou's words, "You may encounter many defeats but you must never be defeated" serves as my motto. Dr. King inspired Dr. Maya Angelou, and she has inspired me. Now, I must inspire my peers to personify Dr. King's morals.
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