Dallas ISD students will once again take center stage in the annual MLK Jr. Oratory Competition, presented by Foley & Lardner LLP.
The competition, which celebrates the legacy of Dr. Martin Luther King Jr., invites fourth- and fifth-grade students to showcase their writing and public speaking skills through original speeches inspired by King’s teachings.
Each year, students craft and perform three- to five-minute speeches based on a selected prompt.This year’s topic asks competitors to reflect on King’s continued relevance. The prompt is: “As a student of Dr. King’s life, what message of hope do you think he would have for the world today?”
The competition includes virtual or in-school qualifying rounds, followed by semifinals and finals. At each level, students are evaluated on delivery, stage presence, decorum, content interpretation, and memorization. Finalists are judged by panels of distinguished community and business leaders.
The final round of the 2026 MLK Jr. Oratory Competition will take place from 11 a.m. to 12:30 p.m. on Friday, Jan.16, 2026, at the AT&T Performing Arts Center.
The full list of finalists is below:
| FINALIST | SCHOOL |
| Maricruz Cano | J.P. Starks Math, Science and Technology Vanguard |
| Austin Goode | Wilmer-Hutchins Elementary |
| Marlie Jenkins | Charles Rice Learning Center |
| Cameron Kinder | Clara Oliver Elementary |
| Kennedy King | Solar Preparatory School for Girls |
| Audrey Soto | Arturo Salazar Elementary |
| Blen Teklu | Preston Hollow Elementary |
| Destiny Williams | Paul L. Dunbar Learning Center |
