Diversity, Equity & Inclusion
Senator Murphy Honors New Canaan Country School Student for MLK Essay
New Canaan Country School sixth grade student Juliet Chattaway’s essay was among the 15 winning essays selected by U.S. Sen. Chris Murphy in his seventh annual "Martin Luther King, Jr. Day Essay Challenge." The Senator recognized all of the winners at a ceremony held in Middletown, Sat. Feb. 11.
“I was really excited when I found out,” said Juliet, a resident of Darien. “I was particularly happy because I worked really hard on this. I wrote one whole essay and then my teacher and my mom told me that it sounded like I was writing what I thought everyone wanted me to write. So I completely scrapped that essay and started all over again. In the second one, I wrote only what I felt, in my own words, and it came really easily and naturally.”
Her essay was chosen from close to 2,000 entries submitted by elementary, middle, and high school students from across Connecticut reflecting on Dr. King’s dream and their own aspirations. An excerpt:
“One of my favorite quotes from Dr. King is ‘Be a bush, if you can't be a tree. If you can't be a highway, just be a trail. If you can't be the sun, be a star. It isn't by size that you win or you fail.’ That makes me think that it doesn’t matter how big of a change you are able to make, as long as you try, that’s good enough. It makes me think that maybe, like Dr. King, I can use my words to make a difference. Maybe a person who thinks there are no more racial injustices and inequalities will read my essay and realize that things still aren’t fair. Things aren’t equal.”
“I am very pleased that Juliet’s essay was selected,” said Grade 6 Teacher Mauricia Gardiner who facilitated her class’s submissions to the contest. “She has put a lot of work into learning how to express her ideas effectively. In her second essay, she found her voice and I was so proud of her for putting in the extra time and energy. This is a great outcome of that effort and an honor to be recognized.”
The winning essays are on display in Senator Murphy’s Hartford office and on his website. Juliet’s essay may also be found here.
“We honor Dr. King’s legacy by continuing his fight for justice and equality. Every year, I am so impressed by the students across Connecticut who submit essays of their reflections on Dr. King and their own dreams for a more just future. Young people have always been at the forefront of the great social change movements, and their hope and determination continue to inspire me,” said Murphy.
New Canaan Country School
New Canaan Country School admits students of any race, color, national and ethnic origin and are afforded all the rights, privileges, programs, and activities generally accorded or made available to students at the school and does not discriminate on the basis of race, color, age, sex, sexual orientation, national origin or ancestry, or disability in administration of its educational policies, admissions policies, financial aid policies or any other school-administered programs.
