Lesson from a Fifth Grader: Be Concrete

And now... the 2011 Winner of the Annual Gardere MLK Jr. Oratory Competition:
5th Grader Elijah English:



Each participant in the contest had to answer the following question: How will I carry forward the legacy of Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr?

In addition to his remarkable speaking skills, I imagine that one of the reasons why Elijah's speech won first place was because he was able to give the audience a concrete answer to this abstract question about legacy.

Elijah's story of showing his report card to his dying grandfather painted a powerful picture of what it means to learn from those who came before us.

From the Green Room: Use concrete language to make your point. The audience always remembers concrete details over abstract messages.

Lesson from a Fifth Grader on MLK Day

Watch this CBS interview with the 2010 winners of the Gardere MLK Jr. Oratory Competition:



When the interviewer asks Tamia what the victory means to her. She responds:

"It means that I worked really hard, and that I can achieve my dreams as long as I work hard."

Rodriguez asks, "How hard did you work?"

"Every night, every day, 24 hours, just straight on the line."

What inspires a child to work this hard at something? If I had to guess, I would imagine that key to her determination is a powerful faith in herself.

What better lesson to learn on MLK Day?

From the Green Room: There is simply no substitute for practice and hard work. But as you practice, do not lose sight of what ultimately will be the key to your success: your belief in yourself.

Here is Tamia's winning speech: