Sixteen students will advance to the semifinal round of the 26th annual Gardere Martin Luther King Jr. Oratory Competition.
The 16 placed first at their campus contests and will compete to determine the eight finalists starting at 6 p.m. Tuesday, Dec. 5, at César Chávez Learning Center.
Students at participating Dallas ISD schools wrote their own speeches based on this year’s theme, “What is your dream for today’s world?” Their speeches are judged on their writing and delivery.
The semifinalists are (in no particular order):
- Alexandra M. Torres, Wilmer-Hutchins Elementary
- Tijahanai Lane, John Neely Bryan Elementary
- Wesley Stokes, Harry C. Withers Elementary
- Kennedi Stone, L.L. Hotchkiss Elementary
- Jeremiah Wilson, Thomas L. Marsalis Elementary
- Asad King, William Brown Miller Elementary
- Victor Delgado, Eladio Martinez Learning Center
- Emerson Byrd, Thomas Tolbert Elementary
- Kaliyah Logan, Frederick Douglass Elementary
- Rhyanna Burks, Ronald E. McNair Elementary
- Kevinyana Warren, Clara Oliver Elementary
- Marna Al-Isawi, J.P. Starks Math, Science and Technology Vanguard
- Joselyn Torres, Arcadia Park Elementary
- Gabriela Vasquez, Urban Park Elementary
- Brook Lucky, Paul L. Dunbar Learning Center
- Skye Turner, Charles Rice Learning Center
The top eight semifinalists will advance to the final competition, which is 11 a.m. Friday, Jan. 12, at W.H. Adamson High School.
