(THE JOURNAL NJ) The YMCA of Greater Monmouth County presented $1,500 scholarships to local high school juniors Safa Mbarki from Middletown High School North and William Blake from Red Bank Regional High School, for their winning essays at the 33rd annual Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr. commemoration.
This year’s YMCA celebration honoring the life and legacy of the iconic civil rights leader took place on Jan. 14 and was hosted online for the second time due to the pandemic. Both students read their essays as part of an inspiring, hour-long program.
Mbarki titled her essay “A Chance,” which is about understanding and accepting cultural differences. She described her transition from attending a Muslim school to a public school in Monmouth County. Mbarki explained how she felt like an observer of a different culture until she took a chance, made new friends and became involved in school. She is now active in many school activities, including the Environmental Club.
