Now, how about some good news for the Dallas Independent School District. You recall Dalton Sherman, right? Course you do: Charles Rice Learning Center fifth-grader. Delivered the keynote at this year's back-to-school pep rally. Was suddenly everywhere. Well, Dalton will be on The Ellen DeGeneres Show tomorrow. Writes your genial host: "You also won't want to miss 5th-grader DALTON SHERMAN, whose YouTube video has become quite a hit! (He's such a skilled speechmaker, I think he should run for president!)" Probably should take a look at the video again, just to refresh your memories. And a media release is after the jump. --Robert Wilonsky
It's been a pretty amazing year for Dalton, one which started when he entered the Gardere Martin Luther King Jr. Oratory Competition.
After winning the January contest, he received a number of invitations to speak at local churches, business associations, youth groups, and even before the Dallas Police Association. That flurry of events was capped off by being asked to present his winning MLK speech at the Voices of Peace event, where he wowed the crowd, especially Maya Angelou. (Ms. Angelou made it a point to meet Dalton, asking his family to keep her up-to-date on his achievements.) Although it was his recent DISD appearance that has brought him his much-deserved national attention, the organizers of the Gardere Martin Luther King Jr. Oratory Competition are extremely proud of his achievements.
"Even though this past year featured one of the strongest fields the competition has had in its 16 years, Dalton commands the stage in a way even few adults can, something he has continued to demonstrate at each of his subsequent appearances. We established the oratory event as a way to showcase the exceptional talent in DISD and Dalton has certainly shone in a way that sets a very high standard for the students in the 2009 competition to live up to," says Gardere partner and competition coordinator Cynthia Hollingsworth.
It's truly been a remarkable year for Dalton and we're all looking forward to watching him tomorrow. And given everything that has happened to him since, some might particular poignancy in the theme of this year's speech competition -- "What Opportunities Will I Have in My Life Because of Dr. King?"
