The Martin Luther King, Jr. Committee of Santa Barbara is proud to present the 2027 Essay and Poetry Awards Program (EPAP). This annual initiative invites students to honor the legacy of Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr. through original essays and poems that reflect his timeless values.

The theme for this year’s application is a quote from The Wisdom of Martin Luther King Jr. (Ayres, 1993), which says:

“It is not possible to be in favor of justice for some people and not be in favor of Justice for all people.”

We welcome original and personal entries that express your thoughts and expressions on what it means to have justice for all people. Essay entries must be a single essay of 1,000 words or less. Poetry entries must be 50 lines, or less. Maximum of two essays and/or poem entries per person.

Age categories are 6-12 and 13-18.

Deadline for entries is October 30, 2026.

Find further information and the online entry form here.