Michigan City High School MCJROTC Studies Martin Luther King

Michigan-City-High-School-MCJROTC-Studies-Martin-Luther-KingThe cadets of the Michigan City High School (MCHS) Marine Corps Junior Reserve Officer Training Corps (MCJROTC) took advantage of having school on the federal holiday for Dr. Martine Luther King and studied the civil rights leader. Specifically, they analyzed Dr. King’s “I Have A Dream” speech, comparing and contrasting our nation in 1963 to the present.

“Dr. King used the conditions for Blacks in 1963, not to rile up the crowd, but to give our country’s leaders a sense of urgency to fix discrimination,” said Cadet Corporal Jessica Wilhelm.

Cadet Sergeant Damian Albisu was impressed with Dr. King’s use of imagery to drive his points home. “His analogy of some of our country’s leaders at that time to writing a check with insufficient funds to denying Blacks the same opportunities as whites gave me a better understanding of the struggles that Blacks faced back then.”

Cadet Lance Corporal Alexis Moll liked the optimistic tone of the speech. “I think that Dr. King left everyone who attended the speech feeling that our country was going to change for the better, that his vision for the future was a very positive one.”

Senior Marine Instructor Major Tom McGrath stated that the study of Dr. King fell right in line with the MCJROTC curriculum. “This is a leadership course, not a prep for the military course. Dr. King was one of the great leaders in our nation’s history.”

Although the Dr. King holiday was originally scheduled as a day off from school, Master Sergeant Jeff Benak said that it worked out for the best. “This gave our cadets a chance to study a great leader who accomplished much in his short life.”