LOCK HAVEN, Pa. - Winners of Lock Haven University’s MLK Day of Challenge Essay Contest have been announced. First place winner Clarence Thomas, second place winner Brittney Larimer and third place winner Crystal Moore were recognized at an awards ceremony at LHU on February 2.
The essay contest was an outreach to area youth. The project, coordinated jointly by the MountainServe Center for Global Citizenship and LHU’s Office of Human and Multicultural Diversity, was made possible by a $350 minigrant funded through the Pennsylvania Campus Compact.
The essay project was entitled “Making My Dream a Reality.” The theme for the essay was selected to mesh with the life, dreams and goals of Martin Luther King, Jr. himself.
Lock Haven University partnered with Clinton County Big Brother Big Sister, the John Yost Center and the Independent Living Program on this initiative. An AmeriCorps student member and students from LHU’s Office of Human and Multicultural Diversity assisted in recruiting volunteers for the project and LHU student volunteers worked as writing mentors with each participating youth. Lock Haven University faculty evaluated the essays for awards.

According to Anne-Marie Turnage, MountainServe director, “We are pleased with the success of this project. It was an opportunity to help youth with their writing skills and to put Dr. King’s vision into practice.” Kenny Hall, director of human and cultural diversity, added, “Dr. King showed what can be accomplished when people work together for a shared goal, and this project brought LHU and the community together in a true collaboration.” Turnage and Hall wrote the minigrant proposal.

The Pennsylvania Campus Compact (PACC) is a membership of 74 college presidents from across the Commonwealth of Pennsylvania. PACC’s mission is to strengthen communities through campus-community partnerships and promote education or civic engagement. Lock Haven University was one of ten campuses to receive PACC awards for the MLK Day of Challenge.