2nd Place
Asma Bahrami
7th Grade student at Yorktown Middle School (Yorktown)

1st Place
Tyler Brumley
7th Grade student at Yorktown Middle School (Yorktown)

In the High School Division:
3rd Place
Kayla Felger
Sophomore at Carroll High School (Fort Wayne)

2nd Place
Jessica Christian
Senior at Peru High School (Peru)

1st Place
Ben Bailey
Senior at Peru High School (Peru)

Westfield High School in Indianapolis, IN took first place in the overall School Division for largest student participation and will receive 200 tickets to the Pacers v. Sacramento Kings game on January 19.

The Indiana Pacers and Indiana Black Expo sponsored this year’s essay contest. The Rev. Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr. Essay Contest is part of the Pacers Read to Achieve Program, presented by Chase.

Each winner receives 4 tickets to the January 19 Pacers game vs. Sacramento and will be recognized at a halftime on-court presentation. The first place winner in each division receives a $500 Savings Bond, the second place winner in each division receives a $300 Savings Bond and the third place winner in each division receives a $100 Savings Bond.

This year’s essay question was:
“In 1965, Dr. King stood by President Lyndon B. Johnson as he signed the Voting Rights Act. Describe the expansion of voting rights in America since the 1960’s. During the current Presidential election, is it important to vote and why? Why do people take it so lightly?”