NASHVILLE, Tenn. –  Martin Luther King Jr. Academic Magnet School received the Secretary of State’s Anne Dallas Dudley Gold Level Award by registering 100% of the eligible students who are 18 or older to vote.

“Congratulations to the Martin Luther King Jr. Academic Magnet School for earning our Anne Dallas Dudley Gold Level Award,” said Secretary of State Tre Hargett. “I applaud the students, faculty and staff commitment to increasing civic engagement among high school students by participating in our Anne Dallas Dudley Award program.”

High schools that register 100% of the eligible students earn the Anne Dallas Dudley Gold Level Award and those that register at least 85% of the eligible students earn the Anne Dallas Dudley Silver Level Award.

“By registering to vote, MLK students have made a significant statement about the future role they will play in their community,” said Davidson County Administrator of Elections Jeff Roberts. “We look forward to welcoming all these new Davidson County voters to the polls this summer.”

Martin Luther King Jr. Academic Magnet School and 12 other Tennessee high schools in 13 counties earned the Anne Dallas Dudley Gold Level Award.  Nine Tennessee high schools in eight counties earned the Anne Dallas Dudley Silver Level Award. All Tennessee public, charter, and private schools and home school associations could participate in the second annual Anne Dallas Dudley Award program.

“Thank you to the Secretary of State’s office for recognizing the amazing work of MLK students to get their fellow students registered to vote with the Anne Dallas Dudley Gold Level Award,” said MLK Jr. Academic Magnet School social studies teacher Tyler Selbrade. “We are not surprised by the number of students that registered this year because our students know the importance of civic engagement. Year after year, a high number of MLK students register to vote because they are eager to make their voices heard in the upcoming elections.”

The Secretary of State’s Anne Dallas Dudley Award, launched in 2021, is named after renowned Tennessee suffragist Anne Dallas Dudley. She helped lead the successful effort to get the 19th Amendment to the U.S. Constitution ratified nationwide and in her home state. On Aug. 18, 1920, Tennessee became the 36th and final state needed to pass the Amendment giving women the right to vote.

The award is part of the Secretary of State’s civics engagement initiative to increase voter registration in Tennessee and prepare students to be actively engaged citizens. For more information about the Anne Dallas Dudley Award and other Department of State civic engagement efforts, visit sos.tn.gov/civics.