- December 4, 2025
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Parents, teachers and families gathered at the Oakland Town Meeting Hall to celebrate the life of Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr., and to hear Oakland Avenue Charter School fifth graders read their essays on him.
Jill Cox, chairwoman for the Oakland Coalition of Churches, holds the microphone for Ruby Berthole, 11, as she reads her essay.
Fifth graders from Oakland Avenue Charter School participated in an essay-writing contest in memory of Dr. King.
Oakland town commissioner Sal Ramos prepares to announce the first-, second- and third-place winners of the essay contest.
Oakland mayor Kathy Stark and Oakland town commissioner Sal Ramos congratulate 10-year-old Ta’Veon Jones on winning first place with his essay.
Kristina Premchand, 11, shows off her essay on Dr. King.
Ta’Veon Jones, 10, won first place with his essay on Dr. King.
Peggy Welch enjoys some cake toward the end of Oakland’s Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr. celebration.
Ben Lockett, 11, holds his second-place prize that he won for his essay on Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr.
Hannah Taylor, 11, and her dad Shane smile for a picture. Hannah was one of 20 fifth-grade students to enter an essay on Dr. King.
From left to right, Ruby Berthole, 11, Carlin Whitney, 10, Hannah Taylor, 11, and Morgan Slaver, 10 — all friends and Oakland Avenue Charter School fifth graders — participated in the essay contest.
OAKLAND Parents, families and teachers gathered at the Oakland Town Meeting Hall Jan. 17 for an afternoon dedicated to celebrating the life of Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr. Town staff provided cake and drinks as refreshments to enjoy as fifth graders from Oakland Avenue Charter School read essays they wrote on Dr. King.
Twenty fifth graders entered their essays into the contest, sponsored by Oakland’s Coalition of Churches, which provided the first-, second- and third-place prizes of Visa gift cards. Olivia Mitchell took third place, Ben Lockett took second and Ta’Veon Jones took first.
