Revere High senior takes title writing about MLK

REVERE – Revere High School English teacher Nancy Barile said when she read about Salem State University’s Martin Luther King Jr. essay contest she knew one of her seniors, Jose Padilla, could win it and when she read his essay she knew he would.”As soon as I read it I knew he was going to win because it was so good,” she said. “And sure enough I got the call and he did.”Padilla will take part in the university’s annual MLK Convocation Monday where he will read his essay aloud before college and city officials, university students, his family and friends. That, along with $100 is his prize for winning first place in the annual contest that invites school children of all ages to write about their reflections on King.Padilla said the whole idea of reading his essay in front of a packed house makes him nervous.”I’ve always been nervous about speaking out on stuff but I’ve always known that I have to,” he said. “Because if you don’t no one will ever know how you feel inside, and I speak not just for myself but for everyone.”In his essay, Padilla quoted King who said, “Our lives begin to end the day we become silent about things that matter.”To anyone taking a glance at Padilla’s career as a student, it might not seem like much matters. He is the first to tell you he is not a stellar student.”School’s not really my thing, I don’t have the best grades,” he said. “I struggled a while, especially freshman year.”In his essay he talks about feeling targeted due to his skin color and that he believed his teachers had low expectations. He said when, as a freshman, he learned about a history fair contest that could win him a trip to New York City he told everyone he planned to win but no one believed him. He placed third, which won him a seat on the bus to New York and when his teachers congratulated him they admitted they never expected him to win, he said.Much of his educational success is based on proving his teachers wrong, he said.Barile has known Padilla since middle school and has always known he is good writer, which is why she thought he had a real shot at winning the essay contest.Padilla said he was working on his car when he got the news he had won first place.”I ran upstairs and told my parents,” he said. “They were really proud because they know I’m not on the good side of school.”When Padilla delivers his essay Monday he will do it in front of his parents, who are invited to the convocation as well as about 20 classmates and Barile, who will also be attending.”I’m extremely proud of Jose,” Barile said. “I didn’t doubt for a minute that he would write a powerful essay. I’m really proud that he speaks up, and speaks his mind and lets his voice be heard.”