The 2026-2027 Martin Luther King, Jr. Essay Contest has opened for submissions from Granville County middle and high school students in grades 6 through 12. This year’s essay theme is “How would Dr. King’s emphasis on love and compassion influence approaches to bullying and peer relationships in schools?”
The selected winners will have the opportunity to read their essay and be honored by the Granville County Human Relations Commission during their annual Martin Luther King. Jr. Fellowship Breakfast on Jan. 18, 2027.
This essay contest is open to students in grades 6 – 12 who are enrolled at a middle school or high school located within Granville County. Students may submit one typed original essay with a 450-word limit. Photographs, illustrations, and other images are not permitted. Each essay must be accompanied by an entry form.
Winners will be notified by Monday, Dec. 14, 2026. The selected first-place winners will be invited to read their essays at the January MLK Fellowship Breakfast. The fellowship breakfast will also include a recognition for all contest finalists.
Essay submissions and entry forms are due Friday, Nov. 20, 2026. The online and hard copy application forms, along with the full contest rules, are available on the Granville County website: www.granvillecounty.org/917/Martin-Luther-King-Jr-Essay-Contest.
