On Friday, March 20th our first grade through sixth grade students will participate in our in-house-speech meet in front of several judges, with the hope of advancing to compete in the ACSI’s Regional Speech Meet in April. Before this can happen, students have already begun learning their particular speech and are reciting them in their individual classes. Students can choose from scriptures, folklore, fables, dramatic Bible prose, poems and patriotic oration.
The objective of the ACSI Speech Meet is “to encourage effective speech in an audience situation, help students develop techniques to speak audibly, articulately, and expressively with poise and confidence, and to develop skills that will contribute to effective leadership in Christian activities.”
Not only does the speech meet expose the students to a variety of written works, but it also prepares and builds confidence in the area of public address. “It teaches them to communicate in a manner that uses the whole body to share specific information through vocal intonation, enunciation, natural hand movement, poise, and facial expression,” added Mrs. Banke. “This increases their communication skills and builds their confidence for the future.”
As students present their speeches in class, the goal of the teachers is to encourage them to do something, they may not have realized they could accomplish. “Some students are so nervous to stand in front of their peers, but they are so excited when they see they were able to be successful,” said Mrs. Alisha Preheim, Dean of Elementary. “Some students actually have found they love standing in front of a group of judges and they have the ability to make their speech come alive.”
The ACSI Speech Meet will take place on April 24th at Grace Brethren Elementary school in Simi Valley, California. Here students will represent their school and present their speeches in front of a panel of judges. In the ACSI Speech Meet, students do not compete against one another; they are judged against established criteria. Our students are always excited to come home with a ribbon.
“This tradition of our school has been going on for over 20 years now,” said Mrs. Preheim.