Athens MLK Day breakfast returns after 2-year absence

TROY — For the first time since the COVID-19 pandemic, Athens High School opened up its doors for the Martin Luther King Jr. Day breakfast.

Usually an annual tradition, the school had to host their recognition of the day virtually for the last two years.

“We’re really excited to bring this back in person,” remarked Troy Superintendent Richard Machesky. “In January of 2020, we had more than 1,000 attendees. It was the largest event ever. We were really excited about that. Just the amount of effort that was put into it before, and then to only do it virtually for the next two years after stepping back made bringing this back a priority to our student group.”

The breakfast is organized by the superintendent’s Student Advisory Board, a collection of high school students who provide the district office insight and often serve as leaders during school events like this one. Aanya Shah, one of the members, was among those who coordinated the presentation in the school auditorium directly after the breakfast.

“We will be in the auditorium by presenting some excerpts from MLK and promoting his legacy and talking about the principles he promotes and steps he took to make this country what it is today,” she said during the breakfast. “We have some speeches in the auditorium from the Black Student Union, (Superintendent) Richard Machesky, (Mayor) Ethan Baker and others.”

Machesky was one of the speakers.

“Our community is looking for opportunities to give back,” he said. “Since this event is focused on Dr. King, it is all about reaching out, reaching across lines, talking to people who might not have the same views as you and then recognizing that, regardless, we all have a shared interest in supporting the community.”

During the presentation, the winners of the MLK Day media competitions were announced. In the art and photography category, the winners were Yashvi Kadala from Wass Elementary School, Kejdi Shpata from Baker Middle School and Amiolika Srivastava from Troy High School. In the poetry category, the winners were Safia Ashraf from Wass Elementary Schools, Kang Li from Larson Middle School and Chirag Bhat from Athens High School. In the essay category, the winners were Yuvan Karthik Kadala from Wass Elementary School, Sofia Mistretta from Larson Middle School and Claire Tantengco from Athens High School. In the video category, the team from Larson Middle School won: Irsa Fjolla, Kiana Thomas and Kate MacFarland.

Shah said that they tried to include a variety of activities for those attending to engage with in the school gym after the presentations. These were designed to provide those in attendance with opportunities to do good or connect with members of their community.

“We also will be hosting services activities in the gym. This included the blood drive, painting rocks where people can spread kindness throughout the community, writing thank you notes to military service members and health care workers, and putting together crafts kits for seniors,” Shah explained. “We’re also planting ‘seeds of hope,’ which people can keep in their houses or plant in the community. By transferring seeds into little pots we want to help the planet and maybe green up our homes a little bit. … We’re also tying fleece blankets, which we will then send to children in the hospital.”

Machesky said he is proud of the students who put the program together.

“This presentation and all of the activities were almost completely done by our Student Advisory Board,” Machesky said. “They organized everything. They set up the events and planned the presentation. Today is a testament to our students bringing the community together and wanting to recognize the importance of this day.”

Shah was excited to bring the breakfast back after having to miss it for two years.

“We haven’t had an MLK Day celebration in two years because of COVID,” she said. “This is kind of our big comeback. We want people to know this is still a tradition, it’s still a big deal, and we’re still inviting people to join us to spread inclusivity and diversity in our school district.”

She added that having it after the emotional and social damage the pandemic has wrought over the last two years made the day particularly poignant.

“We are such a diverse community and we want to celebrate the diversity we have today and spread kindness too,” Shah said. “Throughout COVID, it seemed like things got more hostile, and we want to make sure we’re still a community and we have this bond together. A lot of people haven’t been able to go out and do any service in the community for two years. We want them to be able to come and spread some light.”

Machesky said he is glad to have the Martin Luther King Jr. Day commemoration back, since it is the perfect opportunity to express what he believes the district is all about.

“The Troy community has always been one of reaching out, providing support and giving support to others,” he said. “This event exemplifies more than any other who we are as a larger community. It’s a true ‘One Troy’ event. People who don’t have kids in the schools anymore — or never had kids here at all — attend.”