The Speech Club at Providence Academy has seen much success in its beginning seasons, especially considering the competitive nature of oratory itself.
The desire to successfully speak publicly is common while the ability to actually do so is not. The speech club, recently offered to PA’s student body, was created in recognition of this fact. It not only specializes in proper execution of words, but also in composition of them as a whole. Students who earnestly seek to excel in public speaking will leave this club feeling empowered to produce and recite exceptional work.
A few of these students in our midst currently strengthen their skill of oratory.
“The students who have committed themselves to weekly practice and competitions definitely do show improvements in their public speaking skills,” explained speech club director Mrs. Megan Simonson. “I tend to see an increased confidence as well as a stronger grasp of articulation and ability to build a connection with the audience.”
Many, encouraged to join the club typically have done so through observance of other past members or, in this case, the founders.
“My sisters started the club, so they encouraged me to start; and once I started, I found out that I really liked it,” remarked Derek Onserio ’17.
In order for speech to bring forth many beneficial results to the public, some difficulty comes along with the task as well. Speech club helps the student body gain courage amongst difficulty. It does this by allowing students to participate against others in oratory competitions complete with judges.
“The hardest part is dealing with the nerves,” stated Klassen. “Anytime you go in front of a group of people to be judged it is nerve-racking.”
At the end, however, one must remember that goodness will ensue from hard work and determination. For speech, a necessary skill, brings forth benefits.
“Speech has benefited me because it has shown me that hard work will yield results, even though they may take time, if you work hard you will get results,” explained Onserio.
The speech club has seen much success in its beginning seasons, especially considering the competitive nature of oratory itself. But on the whole, speech club offers much more than just competition. It offers personal cultivation and a broad array of topics that students can select to study and discuss.
“I would also encourage students to join because it is a great avenue to pursue one’s acting abilities,” stated Simonson. “Speech is more than just reciting a speech about a particular topic. There are many different categories to explore, such as Serious Poetry, Humorous Interpretation, Dramatic Duo, Discussion and so much more. The competitions are also a great way to make new friends and develop relationships with others outside the walls of PA.”