Jumbo Shrimp invite local students to honor Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. in essay contest

JACKSONVILLE, Fla. – In anticipation of Black History Month in February, the Jacksonville Jumbo Shrimp are inviting students to honor the legacy of Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. by participating in the club’s annual essay writing contest.

In their essays, students will be asked to reflect on what Dr. King’s seminal “I Have a Dream” speech means to them. The winning students will receive Jumbo Shrimp prizes, as well as free tickets for their entire class to attend a 2022 Jumbo Shrimp regular season game at 121 Financial Ballpark.

“This contest provides a wonderful platform to encourage young writers to reflect on the life and legacy of Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. and to share their impressive writing with our community. The judges and I look forward to reading this year’s submissions,” said Jumbo Shrimp executive vice president/general manager Harold Craw.

The Jumbo Shrimp’s essay contest is open to all K-12 students in Duval County, Clay County and St. Johns County. Submissions will be divided into three categories (Grades K-5, 6-8 and 9-12, respectively). The contest will begin on Martin Luther King Jr. Day at 9 a.m. on Monday, January 17. All entries should be submitted by 5 p.m. on Friday, February 18 to [email protected], and must include the student’s name, age, grade and school. The submissions will be reviewed by a panel of local judges and the winners will be announced on Friday, February 25.

For any questions regarding the Jumbo Shrimp’s Dr. King “I Have a Dream” speech essay contest, please contact Manager of Community Relations, Miranda Rossum, at [email protected].

The contest is part of the club’s Black History Month celebratory efforts, which also includes The Duval County Public Schools’ African American History Task Force and Parent Academy presenting Family Movie Night: “Red Tails,” at 6 p.m. on Saturday, February 5 from 121 Financial Ballpark. Additional events for Black History Month will be announced at a later date.

ABOUT THE JUMBO SHRIMP: The Jacksonville Jumbo Shrimp offer affordable family fun at 121 Financial Ballpark. Their inaugural season garnered the Southern League’s Don Mincher Organization of the Year, Promotional Trophy and Jimmy Bragan Executive of the Year, won by general manager Harold Craw. The club added its second Promotional Trophy in three years following the 2019 season. The 2021 season marked the return of Triple-A baseball in Jacksonville. To experience the excitement with the terrific value of ticket and group options, call the Jumbo Shrimp at (904) 358-2846 or visit www.jaxshrimp.com.