Planning for Newton County’s 40th Annual Commemorative Celebration of the Life and Legacy of Rev. Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr. is underway. Once again, the event will be a virtual celebration with music, song and words of inspiration to compel our Newton County community to be relentless in advancing the ideals of peace, equity, unity and love.
A key feature of the event remains the recognition and celebration of individuals (adults and youth) and/or organizations who contribute to advancing peace and unity in the Newton County community. Specifically, the awards presented annually are the I Have A Dream Award, the Trailblazer Award and the Young Dreamer Award (added in 2014). Award nominees are solicited for each award based on the following criteria.
I Have a Dream Award Criteria: The nominee must have given at least two years of service to the Newton County Community; must be a registered voter; is affiliated with a church/synagogue/worship center; made contributions to the community that are non-profitable and visible to the community; made nondiscriminatory contributions; models a spirit of peace and unity; is one who will initiate and support change; must be endowed with a humble spirit; must be steadfast in his/her convictions; and must be one who fosters and supports education on all levels.
Trailblazer Award Criteria: The nominee must be a long time citizen of Newton County; must be a registered voter; must be a creator of change in the community and follow through to implementation; change facilitated by the nominee must be a benefit to the community; must be resourceful and committed to all aspects of the county; and the nominee must foster a cohesive spirit of peace, unity, diversity, and love.
Young Dreamer Awards Criteria: The nominee must be a citizen of Newton County enrolled in one of the public schools of Newton County; must be in either grades K-5 or 6-12; must have demonstrated interest in fostering peace, unity, diversity, and love among his/her peers; and must have made a difference in the lives of others who may have otherwise been overlooked, ignored, or disadvantaged.
Each nomination should include: The name, address, and contact phone number of the person making the nomination; the name and address of the nominee (include school and grade for Young Dreamer Award nominees); and a typed statement of 250-500 words explaining how the nominee meets or exceeds the criteria for the award.
Nominations may be submitted directly online using this link https://docs.google.com/forms/d/1nSTkM0Cukwl2a8m1rf4dl6E6I0iagQuBNs_gxBgOJ5I/edit?chromeless=1 or mailed to MLK Awards, c/o Mrs. Josephine Brown, P.O. Box 185, Covington, GA 30015. All nomination submissions should be received by midnight Jan. 1, 2025.
The Awards will be announced during the LIVE event which will be held at Newton High School on Sunday, Jan. 19, 2025 at 3 p.m.
For questions or concerns regarding this event, please contact the committee at NewtonCoGaMLK@gmail.com.
