The Rev. Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. Children’s and Youth Essay and Visual Art Contest! 

It is with great joy and excitement that the Black Methodists for Church Renewal and the WNCC Justice and Reconciliation committee announce the winners of their 2025 Rev. Dr. MLK Jr. Essay and Visual Arts Contest. 

With Micah 6:8 as the key scriptural text, students were asked to consider the ministry of Rev. Dr. King Jr. and show how their love and dedication to God is connected to their love for humankind and their desire to see justice extended to everyone—regardless of skin color, gender or social status. 

 Below are the participants and their contest entries. ENJOY! 

Kendall A. Sutton 

Age: 16 years old 

Student's Grade: 11th 

School Name: Mount Tabor High School 

Church Name: Saint Paul United Methodist Church 

Pastor Name: Pamela Blackstock 

The Reflection of God Within Me 

To walk humbly with God is to know my place, 

Not small in shame but held by grace. 

It’s seeing the world with open eyes, 

Through the tears and truths no one denies. 

It’s not in shouting or standing tall, 

But bending low to hear the call. 

To serve, to heal, to guide, to care, 

To see God’s image everywhere. 

To do justice in a world so torn 

Is to mend the seams where love’s been worn. 

It’s more than words; it’s a steady hand, 

It’s planting hope where hearts can stand. 

Justice isn’t easy, neat, or fair, 

But it grows in the soil of those who dare. 

Dare to speak, to lift, to fight, 

To turn the wrongs into what is right. 

And to love God fully, with heart and mind, 

Is to leave no corner of me behind. 

It’s not just in hymns or whispered prayer, 

But in every moment, I choose to care. 

It’s in the kindness I give away, 

In the courage to face another day, 

In loving others without a price, 

And in living each day as a sacrifice. 

To walk humbly, love fully, and seek the just, 

Is to weave my faith into every trust. 

It’s the song of my life, the path I tread, 

A journey of hope where I’m spirit led. 

So, I’ll Walk this road, however flawed, 

Hand in hand, humbly, with my God.

Niani Carson 

Grade: 12th 

School Name: Northwest Guilford High School 

Church Name: Mount Tabor United Methodist Church 

Pastor's Name: Rev. Ellis Carson 

To be Humble and Just Unto God 

As a Christian, I aim to live a life that reflects Jesus’s image and try to follow his 

teachings. He was a humble person, and therefore he commands us to practice humility as he did. God has blessed us and has done many amazing things, which leads us as Christians to want to walk with Jesus and represent him throughout our daily lives. Walking humbly before God allows us to do just that and give honor to God’s name instead of ours. A humble person is not proud and has a modest view of their own importance. By possessing this trait and placing God’s power over one’s abilities, that person is giving glory to God, instead of taking praise for themselves, and being proud. As an honor student taking challenging classes, God has blessed me greatly to excel having a 4.17 GPA. I do not go around flaunting this but rather give thanks to God for his help which enables me to do well. James 4:6 reads, “God opposes the proud but shows favor to the humble.” He has blessed me tremendously with favor in my life! In contrast, there are people in the world who continue to be proud and not humble. Similarly, the world is filled with proud people who do injustice rather than justice. Though this is the case, there are always people who challenge injustice. Rev. Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. was one of those people. He advocated for equal rights for people of all races and backgrounds, 

promoting equality in society through God’s love. Martin Luther King acted with integrity, 

fairness, love and compassion, and even though the systems around him did not uphold these values, Mr. King continued to resist the harmful norms placed upon him. He advocated for justice through God’s word, living in accordance with the teachings of the Bible. For that reason, doing justice is about being a force for what is good and fair, not accepting or promoting the injustices of the world. Because God is the way he is, we are able to confide in him in everything that we do. Jesus died on the cross for every single one of us so that we can live the life we have now and have our sins forgiven. Just for that sacrifice, we owe everything to him. Ultimately, I love God because of everything that he has done for me and everything that he continues to do in my life. This love translates to praising him daily in various ways, such as actively going to church, praying, reading scripture, and helping others in need; not only when you need something. When I love someone, I try to convey my appreciation for them because of what they’ve done for me in my life, just like how we honor God because of his selflessness and his extraordinary act of dying for our sins. 

Name: Harper Lanier 

Age: 13 

School: Davidson Charter Academy 

Church: St. Stephen United Methodist – Lexington 

Pastor: Dr. Rev. Arnetta Beverly 

2025 Rev. Dr. Martin Luther King Essay Contest 

In 2025, it’s easy, so easy to do the wrong thing these days, like stealing, cursing, or being disrespectful to people. But being a child of God, I try to make good decisions. Although my classmates and peers don’t always do the same, I always think about the consequences and then do the right thing in the long run. 

When I watch current events on the news, I have so many questions ………like why did the guy drive a truck down Bourbon Street in New Orleans; or what possessed the lady to stab because she was not tipped enough on a food delivery order or the why current president’s comments during the most recent election were offensive and there are many other examples. Why do people do the things they do when it affects others negatively? I also cannot help but ask, where is God in all of this? I do realize that God is right there in the midst. These tests are part of our Christian walk. 

Living in this 21st century I feel it is vital to be better than my surroundings. Having a spiritual and cultural connection helps me to stay focused. So as I walk humbly along this journey with God I have decided to do the right thing. Doing the right thing isn’t always easy but it is not hard due to my strong connection to my church, St. Stephen United Methodist and especially to my pastor, Dr. Rev. Arnetta Beverly. I keep a constant bond to my family and my tribe, people who have my best interest at heart. There are a few teachers that provide positive guidance and I cherish their opinion, but believe me when I say that the school to prison pipeline, that the United Women in Faith advocate for……is real and I pray for the young ladies that get caught up. 

As I walk through life with many obstacles before me, I keep the faith, I listen and I try to learn. My love for God continues to grow because I realize how much he has done for me and how I would be nothing without out Him. I know this from my Bible studies, Bible teachings and my ‘raising. While I am not perfect, I pledge to do the right thing even when the right thing is not popular. 

Name: ENAM NURSE 

Grade: 3rd grade 

Church: Greater Vision UMC 

Pastor: Rev. Alexis Anthony 

Name: EMYR NURSE 

Grade: 2nd grade 

Church: Greater Vision UMC 

Pastor: Rev. Alexis Anthony 

Jada O. Williams 

3rd Grade 

Saint Matthews United Methodist Church, Greensboro 

Rev. Rodvegas Ingram, Pastor 

When I walk humbly with God I’m just like Jesus. I am kind. I share with my family and 

friends even if I don't want to. I don’t brag. I won “Multiplication Queen” but I never 

bragged. I’m generous. I give to people in need even if I don’t have anything, but I still 

give. 

If somebody was bullying you, stand up to them, tell them to stop, and do JUSTICE!!! 

What I fully love about God is that He made the world for living things .And He sent a 

part of Him to tell people things. He also died for us so we can have a longer life in 

heaven. I show that I love God because I clean up after people and myself.