Dr. Martin Luther King Jr.’s mission of equality, justice and unity still rings true for Onset’s Jordan Phillips who shared that message on what would have been the slain civil rights leader’s 86th birthday.

“Martin Luther King is one of my heroes,” said the Wareham High School senior. “Dr. King had the power to change people’s lives with his words and I hope my words today will have some power in helping others. You can always be better than you were the day before – always.”

Phillips was the keynote speaker at the ninth annual Martin Luther King Jr. Day Breakfast Spirit Awards hosted by the Wareham Unit of the Boys & Girls Club of Greater New Bedford on Monday.

A couple hundred people, including many community leaders, attended the event held at the club, located in the former Hammond School in Onset. The event recognized students who had done hard work inside and outside of school.

Notably, Phillips, 18, was the first keynote speaker to have earned a Spirit Award, which he accepted last year.

In his speech, the accomplished athlete, student and leader touched on difficult times in his past. Phillips said without the community’s support he wouldn’t have been on stage Monday morning.

After losing a close friend and learning another, Onset’s Trey Miranda, had been hospitalized for what turned out to be a fatal brain tumor, Phillips said he began to lose focus in life. He was in danger of falling into old, destructive patterns.

“I was faced with a decision,” he said. “What type of path do I want to take? Do I want to take the right path or the wrong path?”

Phillips then joined a group of students that raised funds for Miranda’s treatment. Eventually, the group rallied the town and school for their cause, dubbed “Trey Strong.”

“For us, ‘Trey Strong’ meant ‘Stay Strong’,” said Phillips.

Phillips’ talk capped an uplifting program that honored not only Dr. King’s legacy, but the achievements of 10 Wareham students.

Each received a Martin Luther King. Jr. Youth Spirit Award on behalf of the Boys & Girls Club. All of the students were introduced by a representative from their respective schools, which in addition to all Wareham schools included Upper Cape Technical Regional High School, Bishop Stang High School and after school programs hosted by the Wareham Boys & Girls Club and the Gleason Family YMCA.

The students were chosen “for their overall character, leadership, determination and belief in justice and equality for all.”

In addition to the local honors, State Rep. Susan Williams Gifford (R-Wareham) presented the students with official citations from the state legislature.

The Spirit Award winners are: James Thomas of Wareham High School; Anthony Alford of the Wareham Alternative School; Miata Bawoh of Bishop Stang High School; D’Asia McCane of Upper Cape Regional Technical School; Curtis Briggi of Wareham Middle School; Kaylie McKay of Decas School; Rija Rakotoarimanitra-Bunting of Minot Forest School; Joshua Pulley-Ferguson of the Boys & Girls Club; Riley Gomes of the Boys & Girls Club; and Andrew Quinn of the Gleason Family YMCA.

The 99 Restaurant and Pub’s Wareham store leadership earned the club’s Community Service Award for their contributions. Wareham Unit Director Kenneth Fontes said restaurant staff has donated close to $10,000 to the Boys & Girls Club courtesy of a series of fundraisers. Wareham native Teddy Mathews, a sophomore in college, also received a Community Service Award.

Cape Cod Five Cents Bank sponsored Monday’s breakfast.