Students at Whitney Young High School increase their knowledge of a civil rights icon before Martin Luther King, Jr., or MLK, Day in 2025

CHICAGO (WLS) — Next Monday is also Martin Luther King, Jr. Day: a day to reflect on the contributions of the murdered civil rights leader.

On Thursday, some kids at Whitney Young High School got a jump start on the tribute.

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Many students were taking finals Thursday at Whitney Young Magnet High School.

And some were encouraged to use their smarts to make positive change in the world in honor of King.

“It’s important our young people know about the sacrifices that were made to make sure they would have access,” Mayor Brandon Johnson said.

During a session in their African American studies class, students engaged in a discussion titled “Living Dr. King’s Dream.” The panel included Michael Eric Dyson, Mayor Johnson, and Jonathan McReynolds, a gospel singer and Whitney Young alum.

This was in advance of the King holiday on Monday.

McReynolds, who graduated from Whitney Young in 2007, expressed enthusiasm about exploring how they could contribute to creating a better world by applying the knowledge gained at their school.

Although the students did not witness Dr. King’s actions firsthand due to their age, they have acquired knowledge about his legacy. Many of them find him to be a source of inspiration, especially upon delving deeper into his life story.

“It’s important that take the lessons learned from history and apply that to our present, in order to succeed,” Whitney Young senior Noah Dawson said.

“I feel like it’s definitely our responsibility to help our world, especially with what’s going on in California right now with the wildfires. I think we have to stop ignoring problems and take more action,” junior Aderinsola Oshuntuyi said.

“Growing up, my parents didn’t have the opportunity to go to college. So, that mindset for me of education feels really important, and I’m using the opportunity here at Whitney Young to take all sorts of activities,” junior Jovany Bahena said.

“I think it’s my responsibility to not only excel at what I do because I plan to go into the world of business, which we know is very male- and white-dominated, but also to be someone who opens doors for other people,” senior Kennedy Bolton said.

“I think it’s important on Martin Luther King Day to reflect on how far we have come as a community and a nation, but we still have a lot more work to do,” sophomore Gabrielle Domerant said.

While many may see Monday as a holiday from work and school, some Chicago students are thinking about the past and how it informs their futures.