40th Annual Martin Luther King, Jr. Breakfast presented by Florida Blue

Tomorrow's Leaders presented by VyStar Credit Union

The City of Jacksonville’s 2027 Martin Luther King, Jr. Breakfast commemorates the 98th anniversary of Dr. King's birth by honoring his lifelong commitment and achievements toward his dream for social change.

Tomorrow’s Leaders, presented by VyStar Credit Union, is the marquee component of the Martin Luther King, Jr. Breakfast. It recognizes and awards youth in our community who exemplify Dr. King's philosophies through leadership, community volunteerism, and civic responsibility.

The City of Jacksonville is pleased to offer deserving elementary, middle, and high school students the opportunity to be nominated and submit an entry for the Tomorrow’s Leaders Award. Award recipients will be recognized at the 2027 Martin Luther King, Jr. Breakfast on Friday, January 15th, 2027.
 

2027 Tomorrow's Leaders Contest Information:

This year, each grade level will submit an essay regarding an assigned prompt:

• Elementary School: 4th & 5th Graders will write a 200-word essay
• Middle School: 6th – 8th Graders will write a 400-word essay
• High School: 9th – 12th Grader will write a 600-word essay

Elementary School: Essay – 200 words 

“We must accept finite disappointment, but never lose infinite hope.” - Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr.

Essay Prompt:
What does Dr. King’s quote mean to you?  Describe a time when you or someone you know experienced disappointment but continued to have hope. What did you learn from that experience and how can hope help you overcome challenges in the future?

Support your response with specific examples and details. 

Middle School: Essay – 400 words 

“We must accept finite disappointment, but never lose infinite hope.” - Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr.

Essay Prompt:
What do you believe Dr. King meant by “finite disappointment” and “infinite hope”? Explain how these ideas can help individuals and communities respond to challenges or setbacks. Use examples from your own experiences, history, current events, literature, or other sources to support your ideas.

Conclude your essay by explaining how you can apply Dr. King's message to your own life or community. 

High School: Essay – 600 words  

“We must accept finite disappointment, but never lose infinite hope.” - Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr.

Essay Prompt:

To what extent do you agree with Dr. King's assertion that we must accept disappointment without losing hope? Develop an argument explaining how individuals and communities can respond to setbacks while continuing to pursue meaningful change. Consider Dr. King's life and work, historical or contemporary examples, and/or experiences within your own community.

Support your position with relevant evidence and explain how that evidence strengthens your argument. Address the challenges or limitations of maintaining hope in the face of significant disappointment and conclude by explaining what Dr. King's message means for today's generation.

Click here for full Tomorrow’s Leaders nomination and submission guidelines.

Nominations, entries and essays must be submitted by Sunday, October 18th at 11:59 PM.