Greenwich High School Student Wins Essay Contest

Information via Greenwich Public Schools

GREENWICH, CT — U.S. Senator Chris Murphy (D-Conn.) announced Monday the 15 winners of his fifth annual Martin Luther King Jr. Day essay contest.

According to a news release, Murphy received close to 2,800 entries this year from elementary, middle and high school students from across Connecticut reflecting on Dr. King's dream and their own aspirations.

Among the 15 winners was Greenwich High School sophomore Yurika Sakai.

"The events of the past year have laid bare the mass inequities in our country and, as we reflect on Dr. King's dream for justice and equality in America, it is clear we still have a way to go," Murphy said in a release. "The essays submitted by students across Connecticut continue to give me hope. I'm certain that if these students continue to stay engaged in their community and reject the sins of our past, we'll realize Dr. King's dream sooner rather than later."

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"We are so proud of Yurika's profound and inspiring message," Greenwich High School Principal Mr. Ralph Mayo said in a release. "Her insightful words urging empathy, compassion and understanding, earned her this impressive statewide recognition."

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"While writing this essay, I enjoyed reflecting on why we value the commemoration of Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. and his ambitions for America," Yurika Sakai said in a release. "I'm so thankful that I have been selected to share my own aspirations of fostering conversation and compassion within our community."