The theme for this year’s Martin Luther King Day Celebration is “Let Us Serve Together,” and the winners of the contest for school-age children will be recognized at the 23rd annual celebration.

“Students in kindergarten through sixth grade were asked to make posters, of any type, and one student from each grade in each school won,” said Carla Dow, the Equal Opportunities Senior and Social Services Program director who helps oversee the celebration. “Seventh- and eighth-graders had a separate contest, and they were allowed to do anything they wanted."

Awards will be given out for first through third place for seventh and eighth grade, and for first through fourth for high school students.

The event will be held Monday morning at 10 at the Galloway Township Middle School Auditorium.

In addition to an awards presentation, Roland Rogers Elementary School Principal Robin Moore will deliver the keynote address. The Absegami High School and St. Paul CME Church choirs will perform, the Galloway Middle School drill team will perform, and there will be a photo presentation.

“It’s important to keep (King’s) dream alive,” Dow said. “It’s important to learn about him. Obviously, he’s not alive anymore, and we need to remind children how important his dream was. It’s just important that kids know how to work together and help each other.”

The seventh and eighth grade students, and the high school students, were allowed to enter anything they wanted into the contest, including posters, essays, art work and dance routines.

An event like this helps the Equal Opportunities Senior and Social Services Program fulfill its goal of promoting diversity through township-sponsored events. The group also holds a cultural festival in the spring, generally every other year.

Township representatives, including Mayor Keith Hartman, are expected to attend. The event is free and open to the public.