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People in the News

Wednesday, October 15, 2025

People in the News

Wednesday, October 15, 2025

12 Finalists of Gardere MLK Oratory Competition Announced

Kids (L to R): Jayden Jackson (5th grade, L.L. Hotchkiss Elementary School), Marco Mares (5th grade, William Brown Miller Elementary School), Lyriq Turner (5th grade, Charles Rice Learning Center), Guadalupe Zamora (5th grade, Arcadia Park Elementary Center), Mariah Hickman (4th grade, Paul L. Dunbar Learning Center), Za’Kiah Bell (5th grade, J.P. Starks Math, Science & Technology Vanguard), Kywin Brown (5th grade, Wilmer Hutchins Elementary School) and Donna Guevara (5th grade, John Neely Bryan Elementary School). Judges (behind the kids, L to R): Debbie Green (Senior Attorney, Gardere), Robert Sarfatis (Partner, Gardere), Dwight Francis (Partner, Gardere), Lisa Hemphill (Staff Attorney, Gardere)
Kids (L to R): Jayden Jackson (5th grade, L.L. Hotchkiss Elementary School), Marco Mares (5th grade, William Brown Miller Elementary School), Lyriq Turner (5th grade, Charles Rice Learning Center), Guadalupe Zamora (5th grade, Arcadia Park Elementary Center), Mariah Hickman (4th grade, Paul L. Dunbar Learning Center), Za’Kiah Bell (5th grade, J.P. Starks Math, Science & Technology Vanguard), Kywin Brown (5th grade, Wilmer Hutchins Elementary School) and Donna Guevara (5th grade, John Neely Bryan Elementary School).
Judges (behind the kids, L to R): Debbie Green (Senior Attorney, Gardere), Robert Sarfatis (Partner, Gardere), Dwight Francis (Partner, Gardere), Lisa Hemphill (Staff Attorney, Gardere)

Earlier this month 12 finalists, 4th and 5th-grade DISD students, were selected to advance on to the Final round of the Gardere MLK Oratory competition. The final event is slated for MLK  This year, the students will be delivering original speeches between three to five minutes, answering the question: “What would Dr. King say in his campaign speech if he were running for president this year?” 

 
Roughly 135 students took part in the in-school competitions held in October and competed for the opportunity to represent their school in the semi-final round. Now the final 12 will advance to the final competition on Friday, Jan. 15, 2016 at the Majestic Theatre in downtown Dallas. Students are judged on their delivery, stage presence, content interpretation and memorization at all three levels of the competition.