New School Year, New School

It is not often that a student gets to enter a new school in a different school year, especially when the name of the school is the same. But that is what’s happening for students who attend Martin Luther King, Jr. Junior High School on the South side of Monroe, LA. A ribbon-cutting ceremony was held Friday, September 9, 2022, at the school to celebrate what some are calling a “school of the future”. It is a “state-of-the-art” school that did not come without some controversy. When the Monroe City Schools Board decided to replace the old MLK school on Nutland Rd. years ago, the controversy erupted as conversations about where to build the new house began. When word got out that the new MLK School would be built between Wossman High School and Minnie Ruffin Elementary, there was a massive uproar from many South side residents. An issue was the increased traffic flow on narrow streets and flooding issues because of its southside location. After many contentious school board meetings, the votes to build a new MLK prevailed. The school was built for approximately $18 million. On Friday, there were smiles and cheers as the ribbon was cut, and those attending got an opportunity to see what was so special about the new school. Dr. Michael Price, Sr., MLK's principal, was excited to brag about how different the new MLK is compared to its older predecessor. Price said that the school’s library is beautiful and emphasized how huge the classrooms are. Price didn’t leave out one of the most important buildings on the campus, sharing the awesome gym. A special feature of the school is that a computer controls all of the lights and doors of the facility, which should be good for security. There are nice facility upgrades, but the focus is on education, as there is a program in place to help students achieve those “A’s” by offering a reward for their hard work. Price said the program is called “A's for J’s” where a raffle is held from a bucket with students’ names every nine weeks. After a good spin, whoever's name is picked will get a free pair of Jordans. Price said that he wants his students at MLK to act responsibly, have a positive attitude, and stay focused on what they are doing. It is a new school year for MLK students, and perhaps being in one of the latest buildings in town, there is hope that those students will develop a sense of the right direction in which to go in the community when they leave MLK.