William Floyd students recently participated in the New York State Education Department’s 2023 Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr., Student Art & Essay Exhibition, in which students statewide had the opportunity to submit original artwork and essays reflecting Dr. King’s six principles of nonviolence. Student work reflected creativity and an understanding of the core ideas of these principles.

The purpose of the project was for students to understand and commemorate Dr. King’s birth and remind Americans of his dreams and goals for the nation; reflect on ways to celebrate Dr. King’s legacy in everyday life; learn about the social, political and economic factors that contributed to the civil rights movement, as well as the philosophy of nonviolence as practiced by Dr. King; and, to understand its relevance to today’s society.

Gabriella Scheifele, a sixth-grade student in Ms. McHugh’s class, had her essay, “Nonviolence: A fictional story inspired by Martin Luther King Jr.’s Principles of Nonviolence,” featured in Newsday, this past weekend. Gabriella’s essay focuses on two children fighting over a toy at the playground; both children cry, one hits the other and both receive proper guidance from their parents. Gabriella wrote, “We learn from a very young age, around the time we start to walk, to choose nonviolence. As an adult, it is our own choice to continue to choose nonviolence.”

At William Floyd Middle School, students in Bea Foster, Beth DiDomenico and Shannon McHugh’s classes participated.

At William Floyd High School, students in Amanda Irish, Christine Goodyear, Jeanenne Delagrange, Jordan Schnepp, Lillian Bilello, Mary Matthews, Skylar McGarrity and Tina Higgins’s classes participated (pictured below).

Please follow the links to see and read the work of William Floyd High School and William Floyd Middle School students!