One could say that Caroline Brummer and Gavin Hessler have a way with words.
The two Plant City teenagers competed in the Optimist Club Oratorical Contest, in the Zone 6 region, on Monday, March 28. Brummer's first-place finish and Hessler's second-place finish, among a group of participants from the Lakeland and Winter Haven areas, guarantees them a spot in the next round, the Southwest Regional Competition.
The theme for the 2016 contest is, "How My Best Brings Out the Best in Others," and the speeches last for around five minutes.
The Southwest Regional Competition will be held at 1:30 p.m. Saturday, April 9, at the John F. Germany Tampa Public Library Auditorium, 900 N. Ashley Dr., Tampa.