PORT ANGELES — Martin Luther King Jr. was a great man for many reasons, according to essays by Port Angeles students.
Among them: winning the Nobel Peace Prize in 1964, leading the way out of segregation — including on football teams — and finding the stars in the darkness.
The Race Equality Essay Contest drew 610 essays.
Winners were honored in an award presentation ceremony before the Port Angeles City Council at City Hall on Tuesday.
Copies of winning essays are on display in the school district’s boardroom in the Central Services Building, 216 E. Fourth St., school officials said.
King’s message of racial equality is always the focus of the contest.
King was a clergyman, activist and prominent leader in the civil rights movement before he was killed in 1968.
Students are given writing prompts that range in difficulty level according to grade level.
Judges were Sandra Biasell and Shawne Johnson of the Port Angeles School District and Brenda Lovik of the Lower Elwha Klallam tribe.
There were no entries from seventh through 12th grades.
This year’s winners, including their schools and teachers, are:
Sixth grade
■ First place — Logan Williams of Franklin Elementary (Maria Kays).
■ Second place — Kamron Noard of Roosevelt Elementary (Bill Prorok).
■ Third-place tie — Korbin Galland of Dry Creek Elementary (Matthew Gochnour) and Hadi White of Franklin Elementary (Kays).
Fifth grade
■ First place — Kimberly Thompson of Jefferson Elementary (Theresa Schmid).
■ Second place — Gregory Ward of Franklin Elementary (Claire Rausch).
■ Third-place tie — Brian West of Jefferson Elementary (Sandra Biasell) and Liam Getzin of Jefferson Elementary (Biasell).
Fourth grade
■ First place— Camden Markwood Thompson of Franklin Elementary (Gunnar Thomason).
■ Second place — Demitri Biles of Roosevelt Elementary (Mary O’Kief).
■ Third place — Brinnley Williams of Jefferson Elementary (Sue-Ellen Kraft).
Third grade
■ First place — Cayden Stuart of Roosevelt Elementary (Erika Kuch).
■ Second place — Dakota Watkins of Roosevelt Elementary (Kuch).
■ Third place — Ivy Mast of Roosevelt Elementary (Kuch).
Second grade
■ First place — Garret Buerer of Roosevelt Elementary (Julie Haskins).
■ Second place — Christopher Jaynes of Hamilton Elementary (Kathleen Schmidt) and Faerin Tait of Hamilton Elementary (Schmidt).
■ Third Place — Maeson Grice of Franklin Elementary (Suzanne Keegan).
First grade
■ First place — Kedryn Descala of Jefferson Elementary (Christine Chang).
■ Second place — Carson Horton of Jefferson Elementary (Chang).
■ Third Place — Michaela Irvin of Jefferson Elementary (Marilyn Mattie).
Kindergarten
■ First place — Kai Vedin of Franklin Elementary (Jessica Baccus).
■ Second place — Chloe Clark of Roosevelt Elementary (Molly Hibler).
■ Third place — Khloe Athow of Roosevelt Elementary (Megan Sheahan).
