OTTAWA — West Franklin eighth-grader Kyle Evans is this year’s grand-prize winner of the Martin Luther King Jr. ‘Keep the Dream Alive’ essay contest. The contest dealt with the impact of Barack Obama being elected the U.S. first black president. Kyle wrote that the election has changed American race relations and allowed voters to focus on issues rather than the president’s color. Other essay winners are Lincoln second-grader Jessica Krueger, Lincoln fifth-grader Dawson Blanco, Ottawa Middle School sixth-grader Hannah Heatherman and Central Heights junior Hollie Roehl. The winners were honored at the King Day ceremonies at Ottawa University Sunday afternoon.
