The dream came alive on Thursday, January 22, 2026 as Plano ISD hosted its 39th Annual Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. Celebration at Robinson Fine Arts Center. Under the powerful theme “The Dream Is Alive,” the evening brought together students, staff, families and community leaders to honor Dr. King’s legacy while celebrating the incredible talent and leadership within our schools.
The celebration featured outstanding performances from the Plano Senior High Jazz Band, the Plano East Senior High School Choir, and the Plano Children’s Chorale, whose voices carried the dream forward through powerful musical performances.
The spotlight shone brightly on our young creators. The 2026 MLK Art Contest celebrated student artists who brought Dr. King’s messages of dignity, freedom, and peace to life through their creative expressions. The MLK Exhibition will remain on display in the Legacy Gallery at Robinson Fine Arts Center through February 20th.
Art Contest Winners
K-2 Division Winner & Overall Winner: Judge Me By My Heart by Ashton Chloupek (Hunt Elementary, 2nd Grade)
3-5 Division Winner: Four Sides of Freedom by Horseshoe Art Club (McCall Elementary, 4th-5th Grade)
Middle School Division Winner: Great Expectations by Otto Advanced Art 3 (Otto Middle School, 8th Grade)
High School Division Winner: The Dream is Within Us All by Briana Hernandez (McMillen High School, 9th Grade)
Our young writers also shared their powerful voices through the MLK Writing Contest. Six outstanding students were recognized for their theme-based essays, letters, and poems reflecting on Dr. King’s vision for America:
Writing Contest Grand Prize Winners
K-2 Grand Prize ($50): Daksh Ramachandran (Wells Elementary, Kindergarten)
3-5 Grand Prize ($50): Myah Myers (Thomas Elementary, 4th Grade)
Additional finalists recognized for their exceptional writing included Kiara Shipchandler (Centennial Elementary, 1st Grade), Claire Vick (Hightower Elementary, 2nd Grade), Aashritha Cherukumudi (Wells Elementary, 3rd Grade), and Evan Camp (Hedgcoxe Elementary, 5th Grade).
Dr. Myrtle Hightower Leadership Award Finalists
The 2026 Dr. Myrtle Hightower Leadership Award, which honors the vision of the educator who originated this celebration, recognized individuals who have gone above and beyond in promoting harmony, respect and understanding across Plano.
This year’s finalists represented the very best of our community:
Mrs. Giovanna James (Lead Counselor, Plano Senior High School)
Maggie Garza-Jimenez (Rice Middle School)
Laurie Kane (Enrichment & Gifted Education)
Barksdale Elementary Learning Community (Principal Dr. Michael Minyard, Bonny Pan, Katharine Chamberlain, Kennedy Easter, and Laura Schnitzer)
2026 Dr. Myrtle Hightower Leadership Award Recipient: Giovanna James
Mrs. James was honored for embodying the heart of a counselor and leading by example. Her commitment to serving students and families is evident in every campus interaction, and she is deeply respected among colleagues. As a Lone Star Counselor of the Year Semi-Finalist in 2024, Mrs. James has demonstrated exceptional understanding of the school counselor’s role and her expertise positively impacts both students and colleagues.
City of Plano Deputy City Manager and guest speaker LaShon Ross delivered remarks highlighting the ongoing importance of Dr. King’s legacy and the many ways the Plano community reflects his values through service, respect and giving back.
The evening concluded with the Plano Children’s Chorale and Plano East Senior High School Choir performing “Lean on Me,” signifying that the dream is not a memory, but still alive in each of us.
The 39th Annual MLK Celebration proved that when we come together with shared purpose, there is no limit to what we can achieve for our children and our community.