Roughly 200 students congregated at SUNY Sullivan’s Seelig Theater last Friday morning to participate in the fifth annual Martin Luther King Jr. Day of Service Youth Summit. Honoring Dr. King’s legacy, the annual event focuses on leadership, service and civic engagement.

Coordinated by Sullivan 180 and hosted by SUNY Sullivan, the summit combined juniors and seniors from school districts across Sullivan County. This event marked the fifth consecutive year the organization partnered with youth-serving agencies, county departments and college leadership to organize the event.

Per tradition, the event kicked off with a screening of Dr. King’s “Blueprint for Life” speech, focusing on belief in oneself, a commitment to success and determination. Students would later take part in critical-thinking workshops in different classrooms led by community leaders, where they examined Dr. King’s words and discussed how his message applies to their own lives and communities.

Throughout the day, students also engaged in interactive activities and networking opportunities designed to encourage service within their schools and neighborhoods. Several students from the Monticello and Fallsburg High School My Brother’s Keeper programs played key roles during the summit, providing music, poetry and serving as masters of ceremonies. Those students included Tobias Brown Jr., Julian Young, Anthony Ortiz, Evianne Beker-McBride, Marilyn Santos, Azon Laurel and Carmen Monto Velasco.

The keynote speaker for the event was Dr. John “PUSH” Gaines, a youth advocate, author and former NCAA football champion. Gaines shared his personal journey and spoke to students about purpose, perseverance and legacy.

“I didn’t come here to just motivate you for a moment,” Gaines stated to the students. “I came to challenge you to live a life of purpose.”

Gaines recollected on his own experiences growing up amid addiction, loss and instability. Speaking from the heart, Gaines encouraged students to reflect honestly on their fears, dreams and inner dialogue, emphasizing that purpose doesn’t require looking outward for validation.

“You don’t often have to look into history just to find great people,” stated Gaines. “You don’t have to look into history to find your purpose.”

An ongoing theme in his speech was the idea of a personal “blueprint,” as Gaines encouraged students to begin with their thoughts and beliefs. He urged them to recognize their own worth and capacity for growth, even when circumstances are difficult.

“I believe in each and every one of you,” Gaines said. “Each and every one of you have value. You have significance.”

Recounting stories from his life, such as becoming a first-generation college student and overcoming self-doubt, Gaines described how daily affirmations, service and perseverance shaped his path. He connected those lessons back to Dr. King’s teachings, reminding students that service is not only action, but also mindset.

As part of the summit’s service-focused mission, students were encouraged to return to their schools with ideas for community service projects they can implement locally. Organizers emphasized that Martin Luther King Jr. Day is a federal holiday dedicated to service, meant to honor Dr. King’s legacy through volunteerism and collective action.

The participants also received a commemorative sweatshirt and a young adult edition of the Pulitzer Prize–winning book King: A Life.

The summit was presented by The Center for Discovery and supported by the Sullivan County Youth Bureau, NYSEG, and numerous community partners, including Action Toward Independence Inc., Bethel Woods Center for the Arts, Cornell Cooperative Extension Sullivan, My Brother’s Keeper, NAACP Sullivan County, Sullivan County Public Health and Workforce Development, among others.