This year, I set out to reintroduce the Lions speech contest to the schools I support. I firmly believe in the power of rhetoric as a tool for fostering youth leadership, and with a potential $20k scholarship up for grabs, what better incentive could there be? It’s crucial to amplify the voices of our youth. 📣

The Lion’s contest theme was “Social Media: Connects us or Isolates us”. However, my Lions club could only accommodate 4 to 6 student speakers. This posed a challenge: what if we had an overflow of interested students? And how could I simultaneously promote the Rotary speech contest with its enticing $1500 prize?

To solve this, I collaborated with parent groups at two schools and assisted them in organizing speech contests. These contests would act as a filter, funneling students toward the Lions and Rotary contests. See Speech Contests 2003.

Fast forward through two parent contests, three Lion contests, four Rotary contests, and over a dozen students later, I’ve finally reached the end! I’ve witnessed students conquer their fears and step up to inspire their peers and adults alike, inching closer to becoming leaders in their communities.

The cherry on top? My son attended one contest and was moved by a student’s speech. Without any nudging from me (as we all know, teens often do the opposite of what their parents suggest), he decided to write a speech. He put in the work, practiced, took feedback at the club level, and improved at the area level. This experience ignited a spark in him, leading him to join Interact (Rotary for youth) and secure a spot at RYLA this summer. I’m excited to see what next year brings. Sometimes, things just fall into place. 😊

For students that can’t wait to try delivering their next speech, the next contest is VFW’s Voice of Democracy. Sppeches are due 10/31/2023. Rotary contests start in February 2024; the 2024 theme is “Create Hope in the World”

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