Senior Kemper Higgins participated in the Martin Luther King Jr. Commemorative Service at Ebenezer Baptist Church in Atlanta on Monday, January 21. The annual event honors King, his impact on the civil rights movement and “how his message is relevant today,” said Higgins.

English teacher Mr. Mike Scirocco nominated Higgins to participate in the event. Almost two hours into the service, Higgins read a portion of King’s “I Have a Dream Speech.” Fox 5 Atlanta broadcast live the entire event, but Higgins found it easy to remain calm.

“I wasn’t really nervous,” he said. “I just thought, worst case scenario, I mess up and everyone forgets about it in a week.”

Many notable people spoke, including the Mayor of Atlanta Keisha Lance-Bottoms, Marjory Stoneman Douglas high school shooting survivor Emma Gonzales and Georgia Senator David Perdue.

“Perdue talked about how his dad worked as a teacher during the civil rights movement and how good of a man [King] was,” Higgins said. “He was my favorite speaker.”

Most speakers used the platform to discuss personal experiences they had with King or how he influenced their lives.

“It was really cool to see that many people who knew him personally or had close ties to him,” Higgins said.

Ultimately, the experience was a special opportunity to participate in the preservation of King’s actions and influence on American society.

“The service was very nice,” Higgins said. “I hope I contributed to the positive message of Martin Luther King Jr. and continuation of his impact on the world today.”