DISD Students to Compete in Gardere Wynne Sewell’s 15th Annual Contest

Dallas – Inspired by the legacy of Martin Luther King Jr., Dallas elementary students will share their own dreams during a Jan. 11 competition that honors the legacy of the civil rights leader.

Started in 1993 by the law firm of Gardere Wynne Sewell LLP, the Martin Luther King Jr. Oratory Competition commemorates the life and teachings of King while also keeping his teachings alive for a new generation. The 15th annual competition begins at 11:30 a.m., Thursday, Jan. 11, in the Criswell Center of First Baptist Church of Dallas, 1707 San Jacinto St.

Fourth-, fifth- and sixth-grade students from participating Dallas ISD schools write and deliver five-minute speeches based on the theme, "If You Could Share Your Dream With Dr. King, What Would It Be?" In order to compete at the Jan. 11 event, the students have to first win the qualifying events held at their respective schools. The schools’ individual preliminary competitions are scheduled for Jan. 8-9.

"This will be the 15th year in Dallas and there has been a remarkable evolution in the maturity of the speeches and the composure of the children presenting their speeches," says Gardere partner and competition coordinator Cynthia Hollingsworth. "There are moments that will give you goose bumps and will fill you with inspiration."

The law firm’s two other Texas offices also host similar competitions. The second annual Austin event is set for the evening of Jan. 11, while the 11th annual Houston competition is Jan. 12.

Gardere Wynne Sewell LLP, an AmLaw 200 firm, was founded in 1909 and is one of the Southwest’s largest full-service law firms. With offices in Austin, Dallas, Houston and Mexico City, Gardere provides legal services to private and public companies and individuals in areas of litigation, corporate, tax, environmental, labor and employment, intellectual property and financial services.