HURLEYVILLE –– “Be a bush if you can’t be a tree. If you can’t be a highway, just be a trail. If you can’t be a sun, be a star. For it isn’t by size that you win or fail. Be the best of whatever you are.” 

These are just a few of the memorable words of Dr. Martin Luther King during a 1967 address to students at Barratt Junior High School in Philadelphia.

These words echoed through the Hurleyville Performing Arts Centre as students watched part of the address during Friday’s “What’s Your Blueprint?” a Martin Luther King Jr. Day of Service Youth Summit.

The event, which was postponed from January due to the COVID-19 pandemic, was hosted in partnership with Cornell Cooperative Extension, the Hurleyville Performing Arts Centre, Sullivan 180, Sullivan Renaissance, Sullivan Allies Leading Together, the Sullivan County Human Rights Commission, and The Center for Workforce Development.

Students from several local school districts were present and participated in workshops and discussions centered around the famous Dr. King’s speech, all while the collaborative community partners stressed that the day was about the youth in attendance.

The keynote speaker was Damola Akinyemi, who is a former international basketball player, world renowned body builder, founder of Ayo Fitness, creator of the Ayo Jam fitness program, inventor of the Hydra Glove and former co-lead of the award winning Warrior Kids program which taught thousands of children across the Hudson Valley about healthier choices.

Akinyemi broached several topics, but brought everything back to Dr. King’s powerful words.

“I want to encourage you to continue to strive forward, not only to have the foundation or the feeling of somebodiness that you’ve built with the three master keys - character, vision and habits,” said Akinyemi. “To have a determination to achieve excellence [as well as] the commitment to the eternal principle of love or beauty, of justice and of mercy and that you will use this time not only to think of your blueprint, but put it down ... For it isn’t by size that you win or fail. Be the best of whatever you are.”