53 students honored Dr Martin Luther King Jr. by through community service and learning. Many of these students admit they don't know much about the civil rights leaders and his fight for social change. Today they met a former UT football player who explained how Dr. King changed many lives.
Dozens of students learned how Dr. Martin Luther King made it possible for them to go to school and play sports with children of different races.
These students with Youth Leadership Toledo are spending time with former UT/Canadian football player Chuck Ealey.
He spoke to the students about the limits others tried to place on his life and sports career because of his race.
"Some things you want to remember and some things you don't. I think the period of time was during the Civil rights movement with Martin Luther King who probably gave most of us an inspirational mindset lets say that we were valuable and we can make a difference in others lives by taking a stand," said former football star Chuck Ealey.
Some of the students spent the day feeding the needy at the Martin Luther King Kitchen for the Poor.
Others made blankets for the homeless.
"We've been cutting and tieing blankets for the homeless and we're basically doing that just to keep what Martin Luther King taught going to help out the people in need and to keep doing good for your community," said Youth Leadership Toledo student Dick Anderson.
Many of the kids admit they don't know much about the civil rights movement.
"I don't know a whole lot about it I didn't learn that as much but just knowing he made a change he made a difference for so many people and that just one person can do that it just feels great that we as even 15 16 years old can do the same thing as him," said Youth Leadership Toledo student Allex Brown.
Ealey hopes today's lessons on community service and learning will help these students improve communities throughout our area
"How they can accomplish and achieve and allow themselves to think outside the nine dots as we call it to be one apart of society at every level regardless of race color belief culture. Martin Luther King talked about civil rights not just cultural rights and I think that covers a lot of areas that can help others within your community," said Ealey.
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