Stamford Student Chosen As Winner Of Sen. Murphy's MLK Essay Challenge

STAMFORD, CT — A Stamford student was chosen as one of 15 winners in U.S. Sen. Chris Murphy's annual Martin Luther King Jr. essay challenge.

Princesse Ashley Hyppolite, a 10th grader at J.M. Wright Technical High School, was selected a 4th Congressional District winner. Murphy received close to 2,000 entries from elementary, middle and high school students across Connecticut who reflected on King's dream and their own aspirations.

"The best way to honor Dr. King is to continue his fight for equality and justice. Every year, I’m blown away and inspired by the thoughtful reflections on Dr. King’s legacy from students all across Connecticut. Their hope and determination should remind us all that young people are changing the world," Murphy said in a news release.

In her essay, Hyppolite spoke about what King stood for, and highlighted some of his speeches and sermons. She said she looks up to King and wants to have an impact on the world like he did.

"As a Christian, it is at the core of my beliefs to love people wholeheartedly. As a teenage Haitian immigrant in America, I must use the opportunity of coming to this country to make a change. As the class president of the class of 2025 at my school, I must think like a leader and cause strides that invoke change," Hyppolite said. "The way that I conduct myself, my thoughts, and my actions are to be with love for not only God but people. With each day I am blessed with, I would like to impact people’s lives positively. I look up to MLK Jr. and would like to be a light to this cold, dark world as he was. I would like to use this light to change people, to impact lives, and to soften people’s hearts to justice and love."

Hyppolite said she likes challenging herself and others, and that rather than " falling for the facade of vanity and materialism," she chooses to look within even though that's difficult to do.

"MLK Jr. was a remarkable man. In the same way, MLK Jr. strived to 'practice what he preached,' I strive to do the same," she said.

Read Hyppolite's full essay.