Bouquet: The non-partisan local group Christians for Racial Understanding: Community for All has extended the deadline for its student essay contest on “The Non-Violent Philosophy of Martin Luther King” to Monday, Jan. 13.

The contest is open to ninth- through 12th-grade students in the region. Students are invited to submit a three- to four-page essay, typed and double-spaced on paper. First place will receive $250, second place $150 and third place $50.

The winning essay will be read at the third-annual Martin Luther King Day Community Celebration, sponsored by CRU:CA, set for 2 to 3 p.m. Sunday, Jan. 19, at the First Presbyterian Church in Kingsford. The public is cordially invited to that event.

Whether or not you win a prize, you will learn a lot and be inspired by a great American.

In an era of segregation and deep racial division, Dr. King and the Civil Rights Movement of the 1950s and 1960s challenged America to live up to its ideals of “liberty and justice for all.”

They sought to overcome hatred with love, injustice with sacrifice and violence with nonviolence. In the process, they changed America and even the world.

However, Dr. King’s message and methods are still very relevant to our own time, with its polarization, racial tension and fear of the foreigner.

For more details about the contest, email northwoodscru@yahoo.com and write “Essay Contest” in the subject line.