News Briefs

The 24th Annual Gardere MLK Jr. Oratory Competition, co-presented by Dallas ISD, will be held at the Majestic Theatre on Friday, Jan. 15 from 11 a.m. to 12:30 p.m. Incorporating ideals from Dr. King’s writings and speeches, eight fourth- and fifth-grade Dallas ISD elementary school students will present original speeches addressing the topic: “What would Dr. King say in his campaign speech if he were running for president this year?” Leading up to Friday’s event, The Hub filmed small parts of each finalist’s speech as the students practiced for the competition. Enjoy a small preview of the eight speeches in the…

W.E. Greiner Middle School teacher Steve Thomas was out shopping after-Christmas sales with his family when the tornadoes hit. It wasn’t until he returned home that he discovered just how much damage the tornado caused to his home. Thomas is using the experience to motivate students and show them that a person can overcome anything. Click here to view the report from WFAA, and go here to see the story from CBS 11.

Dallas ISD Trustee Lew Blackburn is a veteran educator and proud alumnus of Franklin D. Roosevelt High School, and when asked to recall a favorite teacher who made a huge impression in his life, it is no surprise that he reaches back to his days at his alma mater. “My memorable educator is Mr. Thomas Ross, my band director at Franklin D. Roosevelt High School. He taught us more than music. He also taught us about life challenges and choices.” As a veteran educator and a member of the Dallas ISD Board of Trustees since 2001, Dr. Blackburn has spent…

Dallas Independent School District will host its annual wrestling tournament Jan. 8–9 at W.H. Adamson High School. The event will feature both girls’ and boys’ wrestling teams from 21 schools. Tickets will be available for purchase at the door. Adult tickets will be $3, and students will be able to watch the matches for a $2 admission ticket.