Knapp Students Share Their Dreams During Martin Luther King Jr. Assembly

Staff at Knapp Charter Academy worked to create special videos for their Martin Luther King Jr. assembly.

One video centered around King’s “I Have A Dream” speech, but shows Knapp students sharing their own dreams. Some of the younger students were a little confused at first but got the hang of it quickly.

“When we further explained what MLK Jr. did, they had a better idea,” Academic Reading Specialist Kristin Carbaugh said. “We made it a little easier for them to grasp by asking what their dreams for the school would be.”

Their responses show the hope of King’s famous speech.

Fourth-grade student Yared said, “I have a dream that there will be less violence in the world,” while Young Fives student Harmony said, “I have a dream that people will be more nicer at recess.”

“During the assembly, we discussed how MLK Jr. was a great example of showing perseverance during his lifetime,” Carbaugh said. “He faced many hardships, but he continued to pursue his dreams.”

Students were encouraged to think about some of their dreams and teachers continued the conversation throughout the day.

Terri Eddie, Knapp's speech pathologist said she expanded on the video with her students.

“It has been a great way to talk about what their dreams are and what we can all do at Knapp to carry on Dr. Martin Luther King Jr.'s legacy." 

In addition to the “I Have A Dream” video, another video was shown of students reading the book “Martin’s Big Words,” by Doreen Rappaport, illustrated by Bryan Collier.

About Knapp Charter Academy
Knapp Charter Academy is a tuition-free, public charter school in Grand Rapids, Michigan, serving students in Young 5s through eighth grade. It is part of the National Heritage Academies network, which includes more than 100 tuition-free, public charter schools serving more than 65,000 students in kindergarten through 12th grade across nine states. For more information, visit nhaschools.com.

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