Boston students honor Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr.’s legacy

BOSTON - Boston Public Schools (BPS) students in Grades K-12 from around the city gathered recently at John Hancock Hall, along with Superintendent Carol R. Johnson, members of the Boston School Committee, teachers, parents and other special guests, to honor the legacy of Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr. This year’s celebration, One Voice: Defying Expectations, Reaching for Excellence, marked the 28th year for the district-wide celebration.

Students from the Madison Park ROTC program ushered guests in through a lobby filled with student artwork inspired by Dr. King, and Boston Latin School sophomore Mengning Wang and East Boston High School senior Michael Lockley served as the masters of ceremonies. The event featured song, dance, oratory, spoken word poetry, instrumental music and other performances by students from more than 15 BPS schools, including an American Sign Language (ASL) choral presentation of We are the World by students from the Horace Mann School for the Deaf and Hard of Hearing. A complete list of schools and their contributions is below.

“The annual celebration honoring Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr. is truly one of the most memorable and moving events in the Boston Public Schools, and this year was no exception,” said Dr. Johnson. “Not only does the event showcase the diverse talents and incredible creativity of our students, but it also reminds all of us – students, teachers, parents, and community members alike – of the importance of continuing to defy expectations and reach for excellence in all that we do.”

The annual Martin Luther King, Jr. celebration is organized by the BPS Office of Equity in conjunction with a committee of staff and volunteers from around the district.  In addition to the student work, the event also features the music of the Alvin Terry Jazz Trio and the artwork of Chandra Dieppa Ortiz.

Participating Schools:
•    Channing Elementary School (Hyde Park) – Choral Presentation
•    Dearborn Middle School (Roxbury) – Artwork
•    Dorchester Academy (Dorchester) – Solo Oration and Spoken Word Presentation
•    Edison K-8 School (Brighton) – Ensemble Presentation
•    Ellison/Parks Early Education School (Mattapan) – Ballet Dance
•    English High School (Jamaica Plain) – Modern Dance
•    Everett Elementary School (Dorchester) – Spoken Word Presentation
•    Roland Hayes School of Music (Roxbury) – A capella Vocal
•    Henderson Inclusion Elementary School (Dorchester) – Irish Step Dance
•    Hernández K-8 School (Roxbury) – Tap and African Dance
•    Horace Mann School for the Deaf & Hard of Hearing (Allston/Brighton) – ASL Choral Presentation
•    King K-8 School (Dorchester) – Choral Presentation
•    Madison Park Technical Vocational High School (Roxbury) – ROTC Present Colors and Pledge of Allegiance
•    Marshall Elementary School (Dorchester) – Choral Presentation
•    Mattahunt Elementary School (Mattapan) – Spoken Word Presentation
•    Ohrenberger Elementary School (West Roxbury) – Instrumental/Vocal
•    Tobin K-8 School (Roxbury) – Spoken Word Presentation
•    Winthrop Elementary School (Dorchester) – Spoken Word Presentation