Saint Joseph School is proud to announce that 7th Grade students Abby Rubin and James Miranda were selected as winners in Worcester State University’s 32nd Annual Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr. Celebration Poetry Contest, themed “Voices of the Future: Bold Roots, Brave Leaders.”
The contest was open to students in Grades 7–12, with entries judged by the MLK Jr. Poetry Committee—a panel of educators, university students, and community members. Poems were evaluated for creativity, originality, style, and how thoughtfully they addressed the theme, inviting students to reflect on Dr. King’s legacy of nonviolence, equality, and courageous leadership.
At Saint Joseph School, Mrs. Karen Lefebvre, Language Arts teacher for Grades 6–8, encouraged all students to participate. In mid-December, the school was notified that Abby’s poem, “Dr. King’s Words,” and James’ poem, “Equality for All,” were selected as winning entries. In James’ poem, he writes, “We show his dream matters by speaking up, even when our voices shake a little.” Abby echoes Dr. King’s message of peaceful courage, writing, “He taught us how to use love not violence, to show how you will fight with words not fists.”
Abby Rubin is the daughter of Mark and Agnes Rubin of Webster, and James Miranda is the son of Thiago and Alyssa Miranda of Douglas. Abby and James were two of only 25 winners selected from hundreds of entries submitted by students in Grades 7–12 from Worcester Public Schools and schools in the Diocese of Worcester.
The students and their parents attended the award ceremony with Mrs. Beth Boudreau, Principal, and Mrs. Lefebvre on Saturday, January 17, 2026, at Worcester State University, where they received certificates from Congressman James McGovern and were each awarded a $50 Amazon gift card.
Mrs. Boudreau shared, “Abby and James remind us that leadership begins with using our voices with courage and compassion. Their poems reflect what we strive to live each day at Saint Joseph School—faith in action, respect for every person, and responsibility to stand up for what is right.”
Congratulations to Abby and James, and thank you to Mrs. Lefebvre for inspiring students to share their voices in a way that honors Dr. King and strengthens our community.
