11 January 2006

Annual Martin Luther King, Jr. Day Celebration Set
Event to feature keynote by Penn Valley Comm. College President Dr. Bernard Franklin; K-12 poster contest and community award winners to be announced

The State Capitol will be the site of the Governor’s annual Martin Luther King, Jr. Day celebration on Thursday, January 12, 2006. The event will take place in the Capitol’s 2nd floor rotunda.

“It’s great to have community involvement recognizing Dr. King’s significant achievements, especially when we include children,” said Governor Sebelius. “I’m excited to be a part of this celebration and invite all those interested to participate.

This year’s event will feature Penn Valley Community College President, Dr. Bernard Franklin. The celebration will begin with the traditional symbolic march from the Judicial Center to the Statehouse beginning at 11:00 a.m.

The March will be led by the F.L. Schlagle High School Marching Band from Kansas City, Kansas, and the Hamilton Middle School Leadership Cadets from Wichita, Kansas. Ballet Folklorico of Topeka will perform during the celebration.

Governor Kathleen Sebelius will present certificates and awards to the winners of the K-12 theme and poster contests. This year’s theme, “Remember the Past and Progress to the Future,” was submitted by Melissa Sperfslage, a 7th grader from Nemaha Valley Junior High School in Seneca, Kansas.

Top poster winners are: Marcus Heideman, a 6th grader also from Seneca; Maddy Alexander a 4th grader from Prairie Village; Neely Atha, a 4th grader from Shawnee Mission; and Will Bledsoe a 2nd grader from Leawood, Kansas.

Certificates will also be presented to other students who won honorable mention for their posters and slogan entries. The winning posters will be on display in the Capitol on the 2nd floor, south corridor.

The Governor will also present awards to two individuals who have made extraordinary contibutions to Kansas communities. The awards will be presented to Rev. Allen D. Smith of Salina and former U.S. attorney Jackie N. Williams of Wichita.

Sponsoring state agencies include the Kansas African American Affairs Commission, the Kansas Hispanic Latino American Affairs Commission, and the Governor’s Office.