Foley's Annual MLK Jr. Oratory Competition has been the
focus of widespread media coverage.
The 2022 competition invited fourth- and fifth-grade students to
present original three- to five-minute speeches addressing the
topic: "How would Dr. King assess our progress in
achieving his vision for America?"
At the final rounds of the competition held in Dallas and
Houston on Friday, January 14, a total of 20 finalists showcased
months of preparation and hard work to deliver their prepared
remarks. The students were evaluated on delivery, stage presence
and decorum, content interpretation, and memorization.
Foley's Annual MLK Jr. Oratory Competition is held each year in
conjunction with Martin Luther King Jr. Day to encourage people to
remember and pay tribute to the late civil rights leader's
legacy. Foley established the event to inspire students to learn
more about Dr. King and help cultivate elementary school
students' writing and speaking skills.
To read more about the 2022 competition and view the winning speeches, click here.
The media coverage is available at the following links:
Dallas
- Annual MLK Oratory Competition Held In Dallas Friday – KTVT-TV
- Dallas ISD 5th Grader Wins 30th MLK Jr. Oratory Competition – KXAS-TV
- 5th grader wins Dallas ISD MLK Oratory Competition – KDFW-TV
- Daybreak interview with Tristan Whitfield – WFAA-TV
- Eighteen Dallas elementary students advance to Foley's 30th annual MLK Jr. Oratory Competition semifinals – North Dallas Gazette
- Interpreting the dream: Young orators will compete in finals of annual MLK Oratory Competition – Dallas Examiner
- 'Hate is too great a burden to bear,' says the winner of MLK Jr. speech contest – Dallas Morning News
- J.P. Starks fifth-grader wins second place in MLK oratory competition – Oak Cliff Advocate
- Dallas Finals Highlight + Winning Speech - KERA-FM
Houston
- Houston kids keep MLK's dream alive in powerful oratory competition - CultureMap
- HISD's MLK Competition Remembers the Man and Opens All Kinds of Doors – Houston Press
- 'Fourth grader wins MLK oratory contest with message of 'progress, not perfection' – Houston Chronicle
- Honoring life & legacy of Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr., winner of MLK Jr. Oratory competition performs LIVE, MLK National Day of Service, and more – CW39
- Law ES fourth-grader wins 26th Annual MLK Jr. Oratory Competition - Houston Style Magazine
- 13 Eyewitness News at 3PM – KTRK-TV
- Houston Life: Claude Interview – KPRC-TV
- Houston Life: Ronnie Williams Interview - KPRC-TV
- Houston's Morning Show: Ronnie Williams Interview – KRIV-TV
- KHOU 11 Morning News 6A: Ronnie Williams Interview – KHOU-TV
- Around H-Town: Claude Interview – KRBE
- HISD students share powerful speeches inspired by MLK -KRTV-TV
Texas
- Students in Dallas MLK oratory competition mine inspiration from Dr. King's life and words – The Texas Standard
- Foley & Lardner Hosts 30th Annual MLK Jr. Oratory Competition Today – Texas Law
- Tristan Whitfield Spectrum 1 News Interview – Spectrum 1 News
National
- Kids celebrate Martin Luther King Jr. – Good Morning America
- Foley's Annual MLK Jr. Oratory Competition Announces 2022 Winners – PR Newswire