By Erin Hawkins

Olympic Peninsula News Group

SEQUIM — The words of Martin Luther King Jr. were found on colorful posters made by middle school students as they walked the streets of downtown Sequim to demonstrate their support for Martin Luther King Jr. Day.

Sequim Middle School students walked the block down North Sequim Avenue onto West Washington Street and continued onto North Third Avenue back to their school Friday.

This is the second year hundreds of SMS students participated in the event. While most students walked with their peers, others, such as seventh-grader Jack Van de Wege, held signs that read such sayings as “Injustice Anywhere is a threat to Justice Everywhere.”

Sixth-graders Blake McGowan and Perry Sharpes walked together as they showed off their signs, which said “Freedom to All! SMS” and “Honor King — End Racism!”

King’s words were found on eighth-grader Olivia Preston’s poster, which read “I Have a Dream,” while fellow eighth-grader Mary McAleer held a sign representative of the youthful demonstration itself: “Together We Stand.”

Students throughout the Sequim School District observed Martin Luther King Jr. Day on Monday as a school holiday.

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Erin Hawkins is a reporter with the Olympic Peninsula News Group, which is composed of Sound Publishing newspapers Peninsula Daily News, Sequim Gazette and Forks Forum. Reach her at ehawkins@sequimgazette.com.

Eighth-grader Olivia Preston, left, shows a sign that reads “I Have a Dream” while seventh-grader Jack Van de Wege, right, holds a sign that says “Injustice Anywhere is a threat to Justice Everywhere.” (Erin Hawkins/Olympic Peninsula News Group)