Bucks honor student winners of MLK speech contest during halftime

MILWAUKEE (CBS 58) -- Students who won a Dr. Martin Luther King speech contest were honored at Fiserv Forum Monday during the Bucks game.

Seventeen of them, ranging from kindergarten to high school, had their names announced on the PA system during a halftime ceremony.

The prompt for the speeches was “Your life has significance.” The students gave their own interpretations of that.

Highlights from each speech were played on the Jumbotron, while down below the students were honored.

“I would’ve never imagined myself standing on the court of the Milwaukee Bucks in a million years,” said Niahni Shelton-Moss, a Ronald Reagan High School junior.

Derrick Taylor, a junior at Golda Meir School, said being recognized gave him a strong sense of accomplishment.

Samawia Akhter, a junior at Salam High School, wrote her speech as an answer to the question of what gives a life significance.

“How you impact and affect others,” she said. “I feel like in today’s world it’s more about if you make it big or not, that determines your significance, but that’s not true.”

Dr. King’s values have inspired other speech contests too.

The YMCA recognized 10-year-old Jordan Anderson of Waukesha earlier Monday.

“Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. lost his life fighting for equality and a fair justice system,” Anderson said. “Through blood sweat and tears he left us with a recipe for solutions.”

Shelton-Moss believes King should be remembered and learned from more than just once a year on his holiday.

“Every day he’s with me spiritually, and I always think what would King want us to do or what would any world leader want us to do to make the world a better place?” she said.

During the Bucks game, several players were shown on the video board sharing what King means to them.