OTTAWA — Sunday’s Martin Luther King Jr. Day ceremony at Ottawa University honored King and honored those Franklin County students who won the King Day essays – First- through second-graders: Libby Howard, Skylar McCain, Josiah Jahn and Heidi Blurton. Third- through fifth-graders: Avery Stofford, Austin Ronstedt, Hannah Markus, Shackleton Lopez. Sixth- through eighth-graders: McKenzie Lewis, Emma Rossman, December Shae Cummings, Chelsie Noblie, Lisa Bays and Tiffany Montero. High school: Ashley Jones. The essay contest had 283 entries from students from the four Franklin County school districts, said contest organizer Richard Jackson. The keynote speaker was assistant Kansas City school superintendent Anthony Moore. Moore said the day transcends race. Moore said King led civil protestors who were all colors and he was killed leading demonstrations on behalf of Memphis sanitation workers, who were striking for higher wages.
Monday, Jan. 17, 1 p.m.
