South Hampton Roads, VA) – TowneBank, The Hiltek Group, The Michael Baisden Foundation, and GEICO sponsor Youth Matter Inc.'s 9th Annual Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr. Oratorical Contest. Youth Matter, Inc, a youth-focused non-profit organization in the Hampton Roads area in Virginia is hosting its 9th annual Dr. King Jr. Day celebration featuring a Youth Speech Competition, President’s Volunteer Service Awards to youth and adults, and the Peace Postage Stamp Design winners that pay tribute to Dr. King’s eldest daughter Yolanda King.

This year’s exciting event will be held at the Mount Sinai Church in Portsmouth, VA at 11:00 a.m. on Monday, January 18, 2010. The event is free and open to the public.

Elementary, middle and high school students, as well college students will give speeches from the theme “I am the Dream and Yes, I will.”

The President’s Volunteer Service Awards for Service Year 2009 will be presented to 20 individuals to include volunteers from Operation Smile and Westhaven Boys Home. The President’s Call to Service Award for 4,000 hours or more of volunteer service (over a lifetime) will be awarded to Michael Hammonds II, Joan E. Jones, and Valerie M. Snellings.

Nikole Churchill, Miss Hampton University 2009-2010  is the program’s Mistress of Ceremonies. Entertainment will include performances by “Young Daughters of Virtue and Sons of David”, liturgical dance ministries of Fort Foote Baptist Church in Fort Washington, Maryland. Local entertainment include “Out of the Box” Mime; musician “Michael Hammonds”; vocalists Taylor Burrell - Miss Virginia’s Outstanding Pre-Teen 2009, Andolyn Medina - Miss Virginia’s Outstanding Pre-Teen 2008, and Michelle LaCoursiere-Littman.

Courtney Garrett - Miss Virginia’s Outstanding Teen 2009,  Jacquelyn Bates - Miss Youth Matter Teen 2009, Aeja McGlone - Miss Youth Matter Pre-Teen 2009, and A’leah Burrell - Miss Hampton-Newport News Outstanding Teen 2010 will assist with awards presentations.