Denzel Washington School of the Arts scholars create dream towers in honor of Dr. Martin Luther King Jr.
In honor of Dr. Martin Luther King Jr., sixth grade students in Michelle Atterberry’s class at Denzel Washington School of the Arts created dream towers, displaying what they envision for a better world. Students proudly showed off their work on Friday, January 17, 2025.
After spending time reading Martin Luther King Jr.’s “I Have a Dream” speech and discussing his powerful message of justice and equality, students were assigned to answer three questions analyzing and thinking critically about his words. These questions included “What would the world look like?”, “What would you like to see in the future?” and “What impact do you think Dr. King had?”
The class focused on Dr. King’s impact on society and how his words continue to inspire others to foster a world that is inclusive and fair for all. The class then took their ideas and turned them into a creative project, building dream towers. These towers symbolize values students believe in and how they would like the future to look.
“We really admire Dr. Martin Luther King,” said Dahneil Samuels, a sixth grade student at DWSA. “So, we did a project of all of our dreams, representing his “I Have a Dream” speech. I wrote about how everybody should be able to afford and go to school. I feel that it’s fair for everyone to have access to a higher education.”
Once the towers were complete, students put their pieces together to create a city that encompasses the beliefs of each scholar for a better world.
“I was very impressed with their thoughts,” said Ms. Atterberry. “ You think of sixth grade; I’m not really sure what they would’ve come up with, but I let them speak from their heart. For them to talk about women’s rights and poverty, to end world hunger ... I was impressed to see what they wrote and how they expressed it in art.”
Each tower is unique, reflecting the values of the students who created it. Some towers represent peace, with symbols like doves and olive branches. Others focus on unity, captivating words and designs that promote fairness for all, regardless of the color of their skin.