GHS students receives recognition for MLK essays

The Edwards Association made a visit to Gonzales High School Tuesday, Jan. 30 to recognize four GHS students who entered the Martin Luther King Jr. essay contest.

Amiyay Ibarra, Emilio Amador, Joelee Lester and Mia Guerra (who was not present due to soccer) were named winners of the Edwards Association's MLK contest.

More than 50 essays were turned in by GHS English teacher John Dunn and the topic was Dr. King’s “Mountain Top” speech — his last speech before he was assassinated in Memphis, Tenn., on April 4, 1968.

“In the essays we had dealt with the ‘mountain top’ speech, they dealt with women's rights, immigrants rights, youth rights, so they dealt with a lot. In reading them, all aspects of life were included in their essays,” said Tena Roaches, the MLK Committee Chair for the Edwards Association.

Roaches added it was tough picking the best ones when she received the essays the Friday before the holiday break.

It’s been more than 50 years since Dr. King’s “Mountain Top” speech and the legacy of his speech still is being taught to GHS students.

“I feel like it's very important, because, what he stood for, what he did not only for the black race, but what he did for people in general. He wasn't about the blacks. He was about equality for everybody,” Roaches said.

“His work was very effective, because it helped everybody. You know, I liked what I was reading about the women's rights, about how women have jobs now. In the past, man made X amount and the women made lesser,” Roaches added.

Roaches is thankful to Gonzales High School and GISD Superintendent Dr. Elmer Avellaneda for supporting the MLK program.

“Well, as I stand here and looking at this great wall in the high school that I graduated from: ‘Growing Greatness, Our Students Our Future.’ What these students did here is a reminder of the future, because it includes love, equality, and inclusion of all students, and they are our future, which is the legacy of Dr. Martin Luther King Jr.,” said David Tucy, president of the Edwards Association.