FSCC holding King essay contest

Students throughout the community are invited to compete in a Martin Luther King Jr., essay and poetry contest sponsored by Fort Scott Community College.

Entries for the contest will be divided into two divisions -- high school (any high school students in the FSCC service area) and FSCC students.

Essay entries will be judged on the author's understanding of the prompt and the subject, and support. The essay must be clear, cohesive, organized and original. Poetry entries will be judged on the use of poetic devices, creativity, understanding of the prompt and subject, and the use of King's ideals. FSCC faculty and members of the community will judge entries anonymously.

Student who wish to compose a poem for the competition should read King's speech titled "I've Been to the Mountaintop," and use the speech as inspiration for any style of poem that deals with a concept or an ideal covered in the speech.

The essay question asks if King's vision has been fulfilled. Have African-Americans reached the "promised land?" What still needs to be done, if anything? How far has the United States come in creating an equal society for all people?

Students should also use King's speech as a prompt. Essays should be 400-1,000 words.

Students may enter both contests. There is no entry fee. The top three essays and top three poems in each division will receive recognition. All students with winning entries will be asked to read as a part of the Martin Luther King Jr. Day Celebration on Jan. 17, 2011, at FSCC.

All entries should be typed and submitted as a Microsoft Word document. All entries must be the original work of the submitting author.

Deadline for submission has been extended to Dec. 15. Entries, along with the entrant's name, grade, school address, and teacher's name, can be e-mailed to donnae@fortscott.edu.