Martin Luther King Jr. Middle School students honor Dr. King’s legacy

In Charlotte and across the nation, people are taking time Monday to honor Dr. Martin Luther King Jr.

But at Martin Luther King, Jr. Middle School in north Charlotte, those efforts extend well beyond the MLK holiday.

The hallways are filled with images and quotes from the civil rights leader. In one hallway, you’ll see the words “Faith is taking the steps even when you don’t see the whole staircase.”

In another: “Nonviolence is a powerful and just weapon.”

SEE MORE: MLK Jr. holiday celebrations are planned across the nation

Eighth-grader Mia Molina says it makes coming to school a special experience.

“It’s an honor to me. I love walking into this building,” Molina said. “A quote that stood out to me in the halls is: ‘Darkness cannot drive out darkness. Only light can do that. Hate cannot drive out hate. Only love can do that.’”

Everyone at the school seems to have their favorite quote from King. For school principal Jessica Savage, it’s “Love is the only force capable of transforming an enemy into a friend.”

“Dr. King was an advocate for leading with love, and this quote reminds me to always do that – to lead with kindness and compassion and love in our hearts,” Savage explained.

Sixth-grade social studies teacher Jeremy Littlejohn calls it an honor and a privilege to work at a school that bears King’s name. He says his inspiration comes from the words King is perhaps most famous for -- his “I Have a Dream” speech.

“I believe Dr. King basically set a standard when he did his ‘I Have a Dream’ speech,” Littlejohn said. “It continues to let me know I still have dreams I have not yet attained. And I still have a chance to have a dream.”

Several students told Channel 9 that being surrounded by messages that inspire and challenge them helps them to focus on what’s right.

“We should love each other, and respect each other, no matter what we look like or the color of our skin,” said eighth-grader Andrew White.

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“You see all the quotes that relate to you and how it doesn’t matter the skin color you have or how different, we’re all the same,” said eighth-grader Junior Molina.

“It means a lot to me, to go to this school and represent what he represented in school and stood for, and to follow in his footsteps”, said eighth-grader Aniya Harris.

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