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Tuesday March 8, 2011 Edition
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Taking The Fear Out Of Public Speaking: Sharing Strategies With Local Teen Orators

VUHS Senior Nathan North heads to Rutland soon to compete at the top level of the Lions Club International Speak Out Contest and found being in college interviews a much more relaxed process because of his speaking skills.
photo provided
VUHS Senior Nathan North heads to Rutland soon to compete at the top level of the Lions Club International Speak Out Contest and found being in college interviews a much more relaxed process because of his speaking skills.
 VUHS Senior Hannah Sturtevant heads to Lebanon, New Hampshire soon to compete in the top level of the Rotary International Speech Contest and used some of her speaking skills this past summer on a trip to China through UVM's Asian Studies program.
photo provided
VUHS Senior Hannah Sturtevant heads to Lebanon, New Hampshire soon to compete in the top level of the Rotary International Speech Contest and used some of her speaking skills this past summer on a trip to China through UVM's Asian Studies program.
 VUHS sophomore Erin Connor heads to Indianapolis, Indiana to the national level of the American Legion Oratorical contest in April and loves showing young children how to find and use their voice.
photo provided
VUHS sophomore Erin Connor heads to Indianapolis, Indiana to the national level of the American Legion Oratorical contest in April and loves showing young children how to find and use their voice.

Tuesday March 8, 2011

By Cookie Steponaitis

    Many of us experience a gnawing fear when we are asked to speak publicly in front of a group of people. Some of us perspire, some of us hem and haw and most of us will get creative with a handy excuse of why we aren’t available. In many phases of our life this fear has limited opportunities or caused us to turn away from new situations. What is the cure? Experience! How do we get it? The old fashioned way: one speaking engagement at a time!

     Enter into the picture three Addison County teens who are champions at the state level and have been speaking publicly for four- eight years. Each of them became an orator or public speaker as the result of different opportunities, but all openly support the exercise of using that most precious of American freedoms, our right to free speech.

    “I hate public speaking, honestly,” reflected VUHS senior Hannah Sturtevant. “I get stage-fright every time I speak, so overcoming this and intentionally volunteering to speak or to participate in a speech competition is the most difficult for me. I have learned to articulate myself more effectively and to have a more commanding stage presence. I have also learned to write with the intention of reciting, there is a difference between writing to be read and writing to be spoken.” Hannah began public speaking through a program offered by the Fraternal Order of the Eagles called “God, Flag and Country” when she was in middle school and has continued through her high school years. In addition to the Eagles Club program, Hannah has competed in the Veteran’s of Foreign Wars Voice of Democracy Program, Lions International Speech Competition and this year is the district winner of the Rotary International Speech Contest and will be competing at the state championship later on in March.

    One of the most difficult speech competitions nationwide is the American Legion Oratorical Contest which requires students to research and deliver an 8-10 minute speech on the U.S. Constitution with no podium, sound system and note cards allowed. The speaker must then select one of four assigned topics on other parts of the Constitution and give another extemporaneous speech lasting between 3-5 minutes. “When I did the Legion Oratorical last year my topic was the right to a fair and just trial,” shared Hannah. “I had recently read a book on the topic and found it really interesting; that was why I chose to speak on the topic. I would say that these competitions are worth it in the public speaking skills because they allow you to practice skills which otherwise you would not have the chance to practice as a high school student, perhaps.”

    MUHS sophomore Erin Connor comes to the world of oratory following siblings in a family tradition. She was just seven years old when she attended her older sister’s first speech competitions and asked politely if she could take the microphone and gave her own short speech. The rest is history and at the age of nine she found herself addressing her first national audience of 5,000 people. Since then Erin has branched out to include many writing, research and speaking competitions in her yearly plan. Erin will represent Vermont in April at the national level of the American Legion Oratorical Competition in Indianapolis, Indiana and hopes to secure funding for her college plans as her older sister did last year with a second in the nation finish.
“For me, it is really all about being comfortable in front of people,” shared Erin. “Knowing your subject is important and being prepared, but you have to be able to read your audience and use some stories, some humor, and most importantly to engage them so they will want to listen and see where your words will take you. While I have never been shy, I have watched and learned how to speak to different groups of people by being relaxed, genuine and having fun with the topic at hand. When I was learning how to speak publicly my coach would have me read off the back of a cake mix box and use my voice, gestures and movement to make it fun and interesting. Once you learn to make directions for a cake into a speech, you take with you that love of words and how to make people interested.” People who watch Erin speak often comment on how natural and relaxed she is in front of crowds. What is also intriguing to watch is Erin teach a room full of five year olds the fundamentals of public speaking and how to feel comfortable with yourself and your own ideas.
VUHS Senior Nathan North currently is headed to the state championships of the Lions Club International Speech Contest and credits public speaking with opening many doorways and paths for him. “The skills that I have learned include being able to be more comfortable when put on the spot in front of my peers, or teachers, or any other time. College interviews have gone much more smoothly, and even reading a story out loud in class or to a young child has improved greatly. On top of that, I have also learned to read more slowly if I am doing it out loud. It helps the listener understand, and helps the reader’s pronunciation to be more accurate. My topic for the American Legion Oratorical was the Second Amendment, the Right to Bear Arms. I choose it because I have several strong feelings toward maintaining the rights guaranteed in the Constitution and believe that this one is being skewed. It really makes it more powerful when you are personally invested in what you are speaking about.”

   While all three teen public speakers have amassed an impressive resume of wins and scholarships earned, the most fun that they have with the skill is showing others how to do it. “It always is fun,” shared Erin, “when someone gives a speech for the first time and they suddenly find their voice and what each of us is capable of. The young children have no fear, but as we get older, it seems harder to take that first step.”

   Hannah Sturtevant summed it up succinctly when she remarked, “Before I competed I was afraid of public speaking. Now I can overcome this fear.” Nathan also shared, “Before I competed I had goose bumps just going up to the front of the class room or auditorium even if I didn't do anything. Now I can go up and give a speech without blinking an eye.” So, for all of us out there with a frog stuck in our throat or a huge case of ‘Who, me?’ when it comes to public speaking, the experts have spoken. Just listen to the teens and like everything else in life, it is a question of trying it and keeping at it to get better. Many civic organizations and groups like Future Farmers of America and 4H offer speaking chances and badges. The Valley Voice wishes Erin Connor, Hannah Sturtevant and Nathan North the best as they represent Addison County at state and national levels in the coming weeks!

(Local speech competition opportunities include the Fraternal Order of Eagles God, Flag and Country, Veteran’s of Foreign Wars Voice of Democracy Contest, American Legion Oratorical Contest, Lions Club International Speak Out Contest and Rotary International Speech Contest.)

 


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