“Believe in the Dream”

Beautiful Butterflies 
Fluttering all around
Everywhere you go

Live the dream of your choice
Imagine your dream and work hard

Everyone is different and beautiful
Very special
Enjoy life wherever you go!

Invent new dreams…
Never give up

Think about happy thoughts
Have higher goals

Entertain others
Dream bigger and higher
Reaching your dreams is fun

Enjoy your day
Anyone can help you big or small

Magic wands can even help!

Yashita Khan - 2023 MLK Writing Contest Winner Grades K-2 from Plano ISD on Vimeo.

“When I Grow Up…”

When I grow up
I dream to be a Doctor

So I can check and help people

I know when you are sick
You cough and your throat itches

Also your tummy hurts
And you feel tired.

I don’t want people to feel like this

I hope I can be a great Doctor so
I can make people feel better

I wish everyone would be healthy 
So they can make their dream come true.

Hailey Yau - 2023 MLK writing finalist from Plano ISD on Vimeo.

“I have a dream that one day I can be a great teacher at a school.  I will achieve my dream by learning a lot and reading alot of books that is non-ficttion. I will studey alot of math, reading, sience, and righting.  I will try my best to do every single piece of logeck! It is always important! I’ll put my t.v. time to turn on over to homework time.  I’ll do my best to take most of the time of mine on learning and at last I’m going to be sure I’ll be a great perfect teacher for every grade and every student and every school.”

Grace Pan - 2023 MLK Writing Finalist from Plano ISD on Vimeo.

“#Believe in the Dream”

My dream is to be on a good team
In the wide paint skyhook like Kareem
 
Teammate in the paint, standing dunk like Shaq
Don’t come crying when he breaks the backgoard’s back

In the corner for the three
Shoot it just like Steph Curry

Dunk from the line, almost break my spine
Michael Jordan taking flight, he sees me coming in the light

In overtime, other team is a slop
Oh no! Westbrook is about to flop

Euro step, attack the basket
I’m cold as ice, but I got my jacket

I put in the work, I will not fail
Because I am determined to prevail

I believe in me I believe in my dream
For now it’s me and my team

I’ll put in the time
For when it’s me, I will be NBA primetime.

Micah Reed - 2023 MLK Writing Contest Winner Grades 3-5 from Plano ISD on Vimeo.

“Believe in your dream!”

I believe in my dreams,
I can choose any dream it seems,
I hope an idea comes to my head,
Well I get dreams of it in my bed,
I will be a computer engineer,
My decision is final and clear,

I'll talk to the experts that I know,
And I'll start my dream like a flow,
I will study technology hard and nice,
To make my dream very precise,
I will never give up,
Until I get a golden cup,

I will make fun apps and games,
And I'll be sure to give them all names,
I will collect data and plots,
So I don't end up in knots,
I will program an application software,
And with the money I earn, I will share,

This is the dream I want to achieve,
And my faith for this will never leave,
I will always be determined and nice,
Even if I don't get a high price,
I will always have hard work on my side,
So I will never get denied.

Harinee Swaminathan - 2023 MLK Writing Finalist from Plano ISD on Vimeo.

“Martin Luther King Jr. Writing”

Everyone has dreams right? Some people dream big, others dream small.

People like Martin Luther King Jr. dreamed huge! He dreamed that people of color and white people would one day be treated equally and fairly. Some people just want to become popular in school. While MLK helped people of color in so many ways, discrimination has never fully gone away. Think about the marches and riots against police. So many people want to stop police brutality and discrimination against those of color including myself. I dream that one day we won't hear those kinds of stories.

While everyone can dream, the people who work hard are the ones no can achieve their dreams. If you stop at the first obstacle you will never meet your goals. MLK was arrested multiple times, faced discrimination, and many other things but he never gave up. Now look at how much of a difference he has made. There are many ways people like me can achieve their goal of helping those of color. Maybe you could join a peaceful protest or even just spread the word. MLK changed the lives of so many people and so can you no matter who you are.

In the future I hope to be able to help those of color in as many ways as I can. Hopefully one day we truly will all be able to live equally and freely. Even if I can't help as much as MLK did, I hope I will be able to help at least one person and make their day better. In his wise words "If I can't do great things I will do small things in a great way."- Martin Luther King Jr. So go out and work hard whether it be to do well on a test or help those in need. Everyone can achieve their goals, so help those who believe they can't. Show them they can do or be whatever they want. Remember with enough hard work you can change the world for the better.

Taylor Nguyen - 2023 MLK Writing Finalist from Plano ISD on Vimeo.

• 2023 Community Award winner: The Hendrick Scholarship Foundation 
• 2023 Plano ISD Staff Award winner: Plano Area Alliance of Black School Educators 
• 2023 Plano ISD Student Leadership Award winner: Bertha Mkawa 

2022 Plano ISD Student/Group nominees — Bertha Mkwawa, Sara Salazar, Clark High School Red Cross Club, She's the First Clark, United Through Discussion

2022 Plano ISD Staff nominees — John Bhadelia, Tami Frank, Yahaira Rodriguez, Adeela Syeda, Plano Area Alliance of Black Educators (PAABSE)

2022 Plano ISD Community Individual/Group nominees — Vandita Parikh, Hendrick Scholarship Foundation

Bus of Dreams

Enya Li
Schimelpfenig Middle School
6th Grade
Mr. Grundler

Everyone is Different

Penelope Phillips
Huffman
1st Grade
Ms. Brothers

Believe

Sannidhi Bhat
Daffron
5th Grade
Mindy McVay

Dreaming of Us

Tessa McBride
Williams High School
10th Grade
Ms. Chang