WAYNESBORO – Four Waynesboro Area High School students won prizes at the Annual Rotary Club of Waynesboro 4-Way Speech Contest.
The contest asks high school students to present a timed, judged speech evaluating a topic of their choice using the Rotary 4-Way Test. The test itself is a shorthand way to decide if what one is doing or is planning to do is the right thing to do. The test consists of four statements which is where it gets its name:
· Is it the truth?
· Is it fair to all concerned?
· Will it build good will and better friendships?
· Will it be beneficial to all concerned?
“We started the club competition last week” according to competition chair Greg Lyon-Loftus. Top competitors were very competitive with a tie for third place. Dr. Lyon-Loftus petitioned the club to include a fouth competitor and $100 prize this year to allow additional competition to settle the question.
Senior Sayvian Holliman took first place, earning $300 for his efforts. His topic dealt with the impact of social media addiction and the role of social media companies in that impact. Taking second place and a $200 prize was Andriana Gladhill on the need for sustainable healthcare using cystic fibrosis as an example.
Quinn Sanders earned a $100 prize for a question about the value of volunteer coaches, illustrating the “Service before Self” motto of Rotary, with a former soccer coach among others as an example. Finally, Ella Snelbaker took the fourth place $100 prize with a discussion concerning the tradeoffs in agriculture between immediate production, resource use (especially water) and profit vs long term impact on the land and sustainability of available resources.
“We always invite high school students from throughout our region, not just Waynesboro Area Senior High School, and those who are home schooled in grades 9 – 12 to participate” according to Dr. Lyon-Loftus. “For those who compete from outside WASHS, we only require that they are not served by another Rotary Club in their home high schools.”
“Our Mr Holliman is eligible to compete against other club winners at a Rotary District 7360 Regional Contest in Hancock, Pennsylvania, on March 14th with prizes of $300, $200 and $100 for top speakers” said Dr. Lyon-Loftus. “The district winner can compete in the district contest in Bellefonte, Pennsylvania, on March 28th where the best from over 70 clubs vie for $2,000, $1,000 and $500 prizes.”
Dr. Lyon-Loftus added, “We’re fortunate to have teachers like Brian Fisher in the school district to organize inside the school. It would be impossible to showcase the great skills of our future leaders without the help of the school making facilities and time available to offer this competition.”
