Students challenge racism in essay contest, win prizes for efforts

In a January 2006 speech, IU Vice President for Institutional Development and Student Affairs Charlie Nelms raised the challenge of individuals to attempt to make a difference.\nThat challenge has been transformed into an annual essay contest in Martin Luther King Jr.'s honor.\nThe winners of the 2007 Martin Luther King Jr. Day essay contest were announced last week. The theme of this year's contest was "The Power of One: Making the Commitment and Meeting the Challenge."\nIn 1,500 words or less, writers had to explain the ways in which an individual can make a positive social difference, based on their own experiences as well as the life and writings of King.\nThe first-place prizes were an 80 GB iPod and an iHome iH7B dock and radio, the second-place prizes were a 30 GB iPod and an iHome iH5 dock and radio, and third-place prize was a 4 GB iPod Nano. For graduate students, first place was awarded to Clark Barwick, second to Abdel Shakur and third to Dustin Peterson. For undergraduate students, first place was awarded to Danielle McDonald, second to sophomore Suhasini Bhargava and third to junior Kacie Hagenseiker.\nThe essays discussed ways in which the writers had made a personal effort to make a difference.\nHagenseiker wrote about a church project she participated in.\n"We were working with lower-income families," Hagenseiker said. "We set up a bus system to get families to church. Rather than going to them, we brought them to us."\nBharghava spoke more generally in her essay, discussing the ongoing civil-rights issues of today.\n"I compared the struggle of the Civil Rights movement to (the struggle) for equality on the IU campus," Barghava said. "Racism and homophobia never go away -- you have to keep fighting even thought it's legally over."\nTo the participants in this contest, Martin Luther King Jr. Day holds special significance.\n"It stands for doing something right, whether or not it's popular," Hagenseiker said.\nBhargava echoed those sentiments, saying students should be active on the holiday.\n"It celebrates what we have accomplished but also represents what we still need to do," she said. "It should be a day on, not a day off."\nWinners were recognized Monday at the MLK Leadership Breakfast at Alumni Hall.