Students compete in speech contest
Diana Barden/For The Madera Tribune
From left: Cymone Tyson, senior MSHS; Paul Campos, sophomore, MHS; Anthony Gutierrez, junior MSHS; Sue Thornton, Rotary speech contest chair; First place, Josuel Vasquez-Guzman, senior MSHS; Madera Rotary past president Jim Pierce; Gonzalo Barrios, sophomore Voyager Secondary; Armando Sarabia, sophomore Voyager Secondary.
Local high school students from Madera, Madera South and Voyager Secondary schools competed before an overflow crowd at Cedar Creek Senior Living during Madera Rotary’s annual speech contest January 31.
Josuel Vasquez-Guzman, a Madera South High School senior, took first place honors and will now take part in the area speech contest at the Blanche Galloway Room, Madera County Library, on March 6.
Armando Sarabia and Gonzalo Barrios from Voyager Secondary received second and third place awards respectively. Prizes ranges from $125 for first place to $25 for honorable mention.
Winners from Madera, Madera Sunrise and Chowchilla Rotary Clubs compete in the area contest for an opportunity to win additional prize money and a chance to speak at the District 5220 Rotary Conference at Harrah’s Lake Tahoe in April 2017.
With many of their family members, counselors, and Rotarians present, the students each gave a five-minute talk on the topic “Serving Humanity,” emphasizing how the topic applies to his or her life and their efforts to change lives through their activities in their community and international communities.
Immediate Past President, Alicia Bennett was touched by a student who spoke about how Rotarians made a difference in his life by personally demonstrating how they cared. “That’s what Rotary does, we care!” she said.
Speeches were judged on timing, quality of thought, vocal delivery, physical delivery, organization, and overall effectiveness.
