West Hempstead teen wins $16K for college

The teachings of Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. have significantly influenced West Hempstead High School senior Shane Williams. So much so, in fact, that he chose to write about them in an essay he submitted to a local organization — an essay that won him more than $16,000 in scholarship money for college.

Williams, 17, wrote about his King’s accomplishments and legacy have affected his life and society in general, and how he incorporates King’s teachings and ideas into his goal of becoming a physician’s assistant or nurse.

“He wanted equal rights and he stood up to the boundaries that were set on him and he accomplished stuff,” Williams said.

In writing the essay and winning the Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. Birthday Celebration Committee of Nassau County’s contest, Williams himself accomplished something great as well, according to his mother, Sherma Williams, who added that his accomplishment translates to his family.

“I was all excited because I know tuition … is expensive,” she said, noting, however, that she wasn’t surprised. “He was always on the honor roll, always did great in school.” Academic excellence was one of the contest’s requirements.

In his essay, Williams wrote about how Dr. King’s fight for equality paved the way for him to pursue a career in the medical field. “Had Dr. King not removed some of those racial barriers, it might not have been possible for [Williams] to want to be a physician’s assistant,” Sherma Williams said. “There would have been a lot of barriers, even if he is a brilliant kid.”

In addition to the scholarship money, Williams earned a sponsor — the Long Island Board of Realtors — and could potentially receive additional funds, which he plans to use toward his education: Williams has applied to the State University of New York at Stony Brook University, SUNY Farmingdale and the New York Institute of Technology, which has already accepted him.