THS FFA Students Prepare for State Public Speaking Competition in Marysville

Last Tuesday, February 23, Talawanda High School’s chapter of Future Farmers of America (FFA) hosted its district’s public speaking competition.

THS is a part of District 9, which includes ten counties spanning the southwestern Ohio region. 21 schools were represented Tuesday by over 250 students total.

Four THS students competed at the event, namely senior Emma Sterwerf, junior Emily Mullen, and freshmen Sarah Allen and Kendyl Haven. Sterwerf placed second in the Extemporaneous Speaking category, Haven placed second within the Creed Speaking category (which involves the recitation of the FFA creed), and Mullen and Allen placed first and second respectively within separate Prepared Speaking categories.

Each of them will advance to the state competition, a first in THS Agriculture Department history. Mike Derringer, THS agriculture teacher, reported feeling impressed with the students’ victories. “It takes a lot of personal dedication,” he said, adding that public speaking is “in direct correlation with leadership in the classroom.”

Sterwerf said she is feeling nervous, but excited and optimistic about the state competition. “I predict that Talawanda will do very well this weekend, just like we always do. I am very confident in how our team has been preparing and I am very confident in the amount of skill that each of the individuals has,” she said.

Sterwerf also reflected on FFA’s public speaking program and how it has benefited her as a leader. “Public Speaking is not only something that will help me on the day to day, and with my leadership, but it will help me so much in the future when it comes to my career,” she said. “It has been proven that public speaking is the biggest fear across the world. Watching others blossom with their passion for speaking is so life changing, it makes you want to become a better leader and a better person.”

The state competition will be this Saturday, March 5, at Marysville High School.