By Amber Jurgensen | Associate Editor
If any of the eight speakers at Trapnell Elementary’s speech contest Dec. 14 were nervous, they certainly didn’t let it show.
There was no fidgeting, no rocking back and forth, and no freeze-ups. The contestants — all fifth-graders — spoke with poise, confidence and knowledge well beyond their years.
“They have guts,” former Trapnell Elementary teacher Amanda Long said. “I can’t even get up there and do that, because it is hard — especially to get up in front of your peers and do it.”
Long was one of three judges for the contest, sponsored annually by 4-H Tropicana. Pamela West, also a former Trapnell teacher, and Plant City Observer Associate Editor Amber Jurgensen joined her at the judge’s table.
The judges chose three winners. Sidney Dunn and her speech on the FCAT won first place.
“I’m very happy,” Sidney said. “My brothers are always complaining about the FCAT, and it’s not always the funnest when you want to go play with your friends, and it’s your last year of elementary school, and you have to study. So I took all their complaints and put them in my speech.”
Second place went to Preston Howell, and Keilah Gadson won third place.
Students were judged in two major categories, composition and presentation. Criteria under the composition category included the topic of the speech, effective introduction, body and conclusion, use of language and time. Contestants also were judged on delivery, pronunciation, articulation, volume, speed and the audience bond.
Speeches had to be between two and three minutes, and students could pick any topic. Reading teacher Patricia Campbell told her students the best speeches come from their hearts.
“It’s really neat to find out what they’re passionate about,” Campbell said.
Students wrote about a variety of topics, including snakes, homework, texting and driving, child abuse, electric cars, FCAT testing, Day of the Dead and more.
“I like snakes a lot,” student Edward Haggins said. “I had fun, and it was a little scary up there. I’m not used to being in front of a lot of people like that.”
“The experience was good,” said Edith Garcia, who discussed the dangers of texting and driving. “I have been doing speeches a while. I also sang at a church concert a couple of weeks ago and did a talent show, so it wasn’t really scary.”
With the win, Sidney will go on to compete at the area competition in January.
“It’s an opportunity for students to participate in a good writing exercise,” Campbell said. “It gives them an opportunity to show their passion and have an avenue to shine.”
Contact Amber Jurgensen at ajurgensen@plantcityobserver.com.“>http://business-industrial.org.ua/oformit-otp-kreditnuyu-kartu-onlayn.php