Watkins Elementary School

On January 13th, the Watkins 4th grade class gathered on the steps of the Lincoln Memorial to recite Martin Luther King Jr.’s August 28th, 1963 “I Have a Dream” speech. Each student took a turn reciting a line while standing on the precise spot where Dr. King gave his famous speech. They followed the powerful speech with lively performances of “We Shall Overcome” and “Wade in the Water”.

Reciting King’s speech is a Watkins 4th grade tradition, but this year the program was expanded into a school-wide learning initiative. In every Watkins classroom, students read, discussed, and wrote about King and his legacy. After studying the civil rights movement, every Watkins class headed to the Mall carrying handmade signs reading “Peace”, “Let Freedom Ring”, and “Go Watkins 4th Graders!”. If you missed the speech on the Mall, you can watch it in its entirety on a video captured by a Cluster School parent here. You can also read about the event and watch a video on the Fox 5 News website here.