Students wow judges with speeches

Students wow judges with speeches
by Lauren Williamson
The News Herald
Thursday, October 28, 2004


MORGANTON - The next generation of public speakers got their chance to shine Thursday morning at the Burke County Public Schools elementary speech contest.
School winners from Burke County's 16 elementary schools gathered at First United Methodist Church in Morganton to participate in the county contest.
A total of 53 students recited their speeches to the panel of judges, which consisted of several school board members and county employees.

Student speeches were classified as interpretative prose, interpretative poetry, original oratory or recited oratory.

Winners from the interpretive prose category were: first place, Courtney Clark from Oak Hill Elementary, "A Practically Perfect Pig;" second place, Sara Sager from Glen Alpine Elementary, "Peanut Butter and Spider Sandwich;" third place, Kyle Putnam from Salem Elementary, "E-Moments."

Interpretive poetry winners were: first place, Mary Kate Powell from Valdese Elementary, "Twas the Night Before Thanksgiving;" second place, Rachel Crump from Ray Childers Elementary, "The Spider and the Fly;" third place, Justin Kuhn from Chesterfield Elementary, "Peanut Butter Sandwich."

The original oratory category was comprised of students who wrote their own original speeches.

The winners were: first place, Kayla Gurley from Salem Elementary, "Sisterly Love'" second place, Gabrielle Lindley from Valdese Elementary, "Seven is Heaven;" third place, Brendan Mazaleski from Hallyburton Elementary, "Meet the Guatemalans."

Students also recited famous speeches from throughout history and competed in the recited oratory category.

The recited oratory winners were: first place, Benjamin Pierson from Forest Hill Elementary School, "President F.D. Roosevelt Asks Congress to Declare War on Japan;" second place, Hannah Pearson from Salem Elementary, "Give Me Liberty or Give Me Death;"third place, Amber Wilkienson from Mull Elementary School, "Lessons to Remember."

Burke County Public Schools Superintendent David Burleson and Associate Superintendent Andy Anderson presented medals and certificates to all the participants in the contest.

Susan Wilson, director of elementary education, coordinated the contest.
Wilson emphasized the importance of public speaking to the students, parents, and teachers who filled the fellowship hall of the church.

"Learning to speak in front of people is a life-long skill," Wilson said. "It's something you will use throughout your life."

Wilson also commended the students on their performances. "You are all winners," she said. "Everyone here today is a winner."

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