MLK Day: A Day of Service and Reflection

On August 28, 1963, Martin Luther King Jr. gave his famous “I have a dream” speech to hundreds of thousands of people. Less than five years later, he was shot and killed, but his message lives on. Today, every third Monday in January is dedicated to Mr. King and the truths that he inspired our nation with. His message of equal rights for all in a time when they were desperately needed, and his peaceful but passionate approach to achieving this has made him one of the most famous and celebrated Civil Rights activists, rightly so. This year, January 15th was a day intended to be spent in service and reflection. In years past, service opportunities at Casady have been organized and provided by YAC and Mrs. Clay. Students and faculty have gone to the Food Bank of Oklahoma to sort food, the Oklahoma City Memorial to understand and spread awareness for the Murrah Building bombing, and Habitat for Humanity to build houses for the homeless. Each year, the students are asked to reflect on their experiences. This year at Casady, we celebrated Martin Luther King Jr. Day with trip to the Food Bank of Oklahoma. Those who were interested spent their afternoon serving their community by sorting food from 1-4. Safra Shakir, the YAC co-president, said the volunteers made over 600 meals. Not only did the Upper Division get involved, but MLK day was celebrated by the entire Casady community. Sahanya Bhaktaram, the YAC Vice President, said: “I had a great time volunteering! I got to work with not only high schoolers but kids from middle school and lower division too!” All in all, MLK day was a success, and a day for kids of all ages to come together and engage in service to their community.