The VBA’s Annual Martin Luther King, Jr. Day Poster/Essay Contest is now underway. Middle Schoolers statewide are invited to write a short essay (up to 250 words) and illustrate a quotation from Dr. King. This year the quotation is: “Courage is an inner resolution to go forward despite obstacles.”
The quotation appears in Dr. King’s autobiography. To see the contest flyer, which includes a link to the rules and entry form, click here.
The VBA’s MLK, Jr. Poster Essay Contest originated in 2017 when Vermont Supreme Court Justice Nancy Waples was head of the Diversity Section. It has been held annually since then under the sponsorship of the Diversity Section and the Young Lawyers Division. A committee made up of VBA Staff, YLD, and Diversity Section members judges the entries. All identification is removed from the entries prior to review by the judges.
VBA Members and friends are encouraged to let their own local middle schools know about the Contest. The deadline for completed entries to be returned to the VBA is Dec. 23, 2025. (Mailed entries should be postmarked by Dec. 20).
Three winners will be selected. The 1st place winner will receive a plaque. The 2nd and 3rd place winners will receive framed certificates. All winners will be invited with their families and teachers to a ceremony at the Vermont Statehouse around the time of the Martin Luther King, Jr. 2026 holiday for recognition. (Date TBD based on the Governor’s schedule). In addition, the winning entries will be displayed at the Mid-Winter Thaw in Montreal, a VBA meeting organized by the Young Lawyers Division, and at the Vermont Supreme Court Building. They will also be published in the Vermont Bar Journal and posted on the www.vtbar.org website.
