MLK Commission, HHOMA to honor student winners of Project on Racism Contest and 41st Annual Poster Competition on January 18, 2025

CHARLESTON, WV – The Herbert Henderson Office of Minority Affairs (HHOMA) will host an award ceremony to celebrate the student winners of the Project on Racism Contest and 41st Annual Poster Competition. 

The ceremony can be viewed Monday, January 20, 2025 after the MLK Ecumenical Service beginning at 7 p.m. on WV Public Broadcasting, the West Virginia Channel and on HHOMA’s Facebook page.

“The MLK Commission is dedicated to providing West Virginia students with meaningful opportunities to share their artistic talents while honoring the legacy of Reverend Martin Luther King, Jr.,” HHOMA Executive Director and Martin Luther King, Jr. State Holiday Commission Chair Jill Upson said. “We are thrilled to celebrate their creativity and achievements at this year’s Celebration of Diversity Awards ceremony.”

The Project on Racism Contest was presented by the Martin Luther King, Jr. State Holiday Commission and the YWCA Wheeling. Entries were accepted for essays, music and five-minute films and was open to any student from grades 1-12 attending public, private, parochial or home school in West Virginia.

All entries must have focused on the following quote from Martin Luther King, Jr.: “The surest way to be happy is to seek happiness for others.”  

Students had to submit their work under one of the following categories: Essays, Music, or Film.

Award recipients for each category are listed below.

Essay Award Recipients:

Grade K-5
1st Place 
Allison Fink, West Liberty Elementary School, 3rd Grade

2nd Place
Ava Dent, West Liberty Elementary School, 4th Grade

3rd Place 
Kaylee Yensen, West Liberty Elementary School, 3rd Grade

Grade 6-8
1st Place 
Adriana Moses, Triadelphia Middle School, 8th Grade

2nd Place 
Abigail McGowan, Triadelphia Middle School, 7th Grade

3rd Place
Faith Cooper, Triadelphia Middle School, 7th Grade

Grade 9-12
1st Place 
Piper Baldwin, Greenbrier East High School, 10th Grade

2nd Place
Addie Payton, Wheeling Central Catholic High School, 11th Grade

3rd Place 
Erin Maxwell, Wheeling Central Catholic High School, 11th Grade

Film Award Recipients:

K-5th Grade - Group Division
1st Place
Sidney George, West Liberty Elementary School, 5th Grade
Prithri Prasain, West Liberty Elementary School, 5th Grade
Amelia Morris, West Liberty Elementary School, 5th Grade

Grade 9-12
1st Place
Wheeling Central Catholic High School
Jay Morris, Teacher 

2nd Place
Wheeling Park High School
Caroline Dillon, Teacher

Poster Artwork
The Martin Luther King, Jr. State Holiday Commission and the Beta Beta Omega Chapter, Alpha Kappa Alpha Sorority, presented the 41st annual Poster Competition.

West Virginia students from grades K-12 could enter the poster competition. The art must have focused on the following quote from Martin Luther King, Jr.: “At the center of non-violence stands the principle of love.”

Poster award recipients:

Grade 9-12
1st Place
Lauryn G.Coffman, Huntington High School, 11th Grade

2nd Place
Taylor D.Browning, Scott High School, 10th Grade
Elizabeth JP Wine, Point Pleasant Junior Senior High School, 10th Grade

3rd Place 
James Allen J. Davis, Point Pleasant Junior Senior High School, 10th Grade
Lyric Janae Smith, Huntington High School, 12th Grade 

Honorable Mention
Deborah J. Bell, Point Pleasant High School, 10th Grade

Grade 3-5
1st Place
Juniper Stewart, Pineville Elementary School, 3rd Grade 

2nd Place
Skylar Cline, Herndon Consolidated Elementary School, 4th Grade

Grade K-2
1st Place
Teegan B. Hurley, Berlin McKinney Elementary School, 2nd Grade

2nd Place 
Olivia Brown, Pineville Elementary, 2nd Grade 

Mixed Media award recipients:

Grade 9-12
1st Place
Madyson Grace DeWitt, Point Pleasant Junior Senior High School, 10th Grade
Daniel C. Miller, Scott High School, 12th Grade

2nd Place
Chloe L. Coles, Huntington High School, 11th Grade
Issac Jacobs, Scott High School, 11th Grade

3rd Place
Caroline E. Kozar, Huntington High School, 9th Grade
Haleigh R. Sanders, Scott High School, 11th Grade
Hannah O. Nichols, Scott High School, 11th Grade

Honorable Mention
Azalia Ronan, Huntington High School, 9th Grade