Rotary Speech Contest Brings Together Generations

By Cookie Steponaitis

photo by provided Addie Brooks, Mike Davis, Mason Charlebois and Sophia Parker shared their passion for service and their commitment to bring about change with the Vergennes Rotary Mavericks on January 31st.

photo by provided With topics ranging from using individual gifts, changing American education, letting in refugees, and chasing dreams while using the Rotary Way Test, great speeches were delivered.

The Vergennes Rotary Mavericks opened up their meeting and hearts to some local teenagers recently to hear their ideas about developing community service and the uses of the Rotary Four Way Test. Each year for the past decade the club has hosted a local speech contest and welcomed students from home schooling and the local high school. Speaking to the group this year were four VUHS students representing the senior, junior and freshman class. VUHS students Sophia Parker, Mason Charlebois, Mike Davis and Addie Brooks each brought their own perspective to the topics and made the decision of the judges very difficult. When the morning was finished Sophia Parker was chosen to move forward and represent the club at the divisional level but all present felt empowered by the ideas, skills and passion for being agents of change that the teens shared. It is quite safe to say that some future Rotarians were present and aced their interview.