Way to Go: Shane Williams, West Hempstead

Shane Williams has turned his admiration of the Rev. Martin Luther King Jr. into a scholarship win.

The West Hempstead High School senior earned a $16,000 scholarship last month in an essay contest coordinated by the Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. Birthday Celebration Committee of Nassau County. The contest required students to reflect on how King's teachings and actions "come across to them" and have influenced their daily lives, Williams said.

Williams, 17, was honored at the committee's 27th annual awards luncheon, held at the Long Island Marriott in Uniondale. The scholarship was issued by the Long Island Board of Realtors.

"He [King] never gave up on his dreams and stood up for what he believed was right," Williams said of King.

He said he learned of his essay victory while in a local deli. "I just started jumping up and down," he said. "This is very significant."

At his school, Williams has played on the track and soccer teams and is a member of the Yearbook Club and Key Club. He wants to be a physician's assistant.

"I'm extremely proud of Shane and his tenacity," said Kathleen O'Farrell, the school's English director. "We all know he will be a great success."