Foundation Marshals Children In Tribute To King

Friday is the 46th Anniversary of the March on Washington and Martin Luther King Jr.'s famous "I have a Dream Speech." Children are being encouraged to add their voices to commemoration.

On the shore of the tidal basin at the site of the future Martin Luther King memorial, 10 year-old Miara from Brent Elementary in D.C. knows all about Martin Luther King's "I Have A Dream Speech."

"He had a dream that we will all come as equal, as one, and we should all be treated the same way," says Brent.

Miara checked out books on segregation from her library, and "learned about it from the stories of my grandparents, my mother, my father."

Harry Johnson is CEO of the King Memorial Foundation, the organization that is raising money for the memorial to the Civil Rights Leader. Johnson says not all kids have quite the same grasp as Miara.

"We did a study a few years back--kids understand getting a day off school, they understand King was a part of history, but they don't understand the real significance of how he changed the country," says Johnson.

So in the run up to the completion of the King Memorial, the foundation is providing teachers a curriculum on the civil rights leader. They're also creating a contest where children create a piece of art, or write an essay to show how they're furthering King's message. Miara knows how she's entering: "All my feelings are expressed in music, so I would submit a song."

Students can win an all expenses paid trip to D.C.

Sabri Ben-Achour reports.....