Dr. King Speech Contest winners featured at Bucks game

To celebrate Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. and Black History Month, the Milwaukee Bucks turned to the youth of our community at the Feb. 2 game with the New York Knicks at the BMO Harris Bradley Center. At halftime, first-, second- and third-place winners of each of the six grade divisions of the We Energies Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. Speech Contest were honored on the court.

Students were escorted onto the court by the Milwaukee Bucks Dancers.

Eleventh-grader Ariana Cawthorn of Eastbrook Academy, and first-place winner of the grade 11-12 division, addressed the crowd.

First-place winner of the 11-12 division Ariana Cawthorn.

“Some believe silence keeps problems at bay, and that if no one speaks them, maybe they’ll the problem will go away. But no, I stand here to testify that that is not the way,” she said. Her remarks elaborated on this year’s contest theme, “Take a stand for truth and justice.”

Fans congratulated Cawthorn on her encouraging words as she made her way back to her seat in the arena.

We Energies has sponsored the speech contest for more than 30 years. This is the fourth season that the winning students have been honored at a Bucks game. 

Students from the K-2 and 3-4 divisions.