Students spread message of Martin Luther King Jr. in speech, essay contest

The essay questions before Stefan Ruggendorf and Hailey Wahlmann were twofold and timely.

One was, “How did Martin Luther King, Jr. influence people?” And the other, “Do you believe his methods would be as effective in today’s world?”

Ruggendorf, a Lakewood Ranch High senior, and Wahlmann, a Dr. Mona Jain Middle School eighth-grader, were able to provide the kind of answers that impressed the judges the most at the Palmetto Youth Center’s annual Martin Luther King Speech and Essay Contest.

Subsequently, Ruggendorf and Wahlman were the grand prize winners in their respective categories and each student received a computer and $150.

Bayshore High senior Ervin Bautista-Limon took second ($100) in the high school category.

Dr. Mona Jain eighthgrader Georgia Pigliavento was second ($100) in the middle school category followed by classmate Katarina Paben in third ($75).

Honorable mentions went to Sugg Middle eighth-grader Phillip Huynh and Lincoln Memorial Middle seventhgrader Ju’Juan Goff.

Jeff Smith is 77 years young.

And Judy Larrabee is 39. Again.

Bravo to Miguel Yanez, Esteban Moret-Ramirez and Caleb Couchois. The Parrish Community High students auditioned successfully for Florida All State Choir in Tampa.

Yanez and Moret-Ramirez were accepted for the High School TTBB Choir, which denotes the four-part lower-voice choir configuration: Tenor 1, Tenor 2, Bass 1 (Baritone) and Bass 2.

Couchois was accepted for the High School Concert Choir.

The audition process is three rounds, including musicianship theory test, sight-singing test and vocal quality audition.

Logan Wells is 37. And Annamaria Diamant is 36.

A bow to Registered Nurse Sean McDermott, the most recent Daisy Award recipient at Manatee Memorial Hospital.

Jane Dalla Mura Walsh is 74 years young.

The Bradenton Kiwanis Club Book Signing for Judge Gilbert Smith Jr.’s Volume II of "Champions of Children" was postponed by recent inclement weather to this Tuesday, 5-7 p.m. at the Manatee Performing Arts Center, 502 Third Ave. W., Bradenton.

The book covers the club’s history since 1980 and its noble mission to improve the lives of children and the underprivileged in Southwest Florida.

Vin’s People runs Sundays. Email Vin Mannix at vinspeople@gmail.com. Or call 941-962-5944. X (formerly Twitter): @vinmannix.