Meeting Recap: Jan. 22, 2014 (International Speech and Evaluation Contests)

Dear APS Members and Guests,

What’s the next-best thing to attending the District 46 International Speech and Evaluation contests?  It’s attending the APS contest, where the quality of the competitors is so high, you might as well be at the district championship.  All that talent, yet only one winner can prevail.  

 After 6 inspiring speeches, Laurent Nicourt, captured first place in the APS International Speech competition for his entertaining and inspiring:  The Blazing Giant, the Gorilla, and the Hummingbird. Congratulations also go to Todd McKinney, who won second place with his clever and original speech, New Year’s Revolution, and to Gouri Seetharam, who came in third with her heartfelt presentation, No Regrets.

Only 3 competitors could be official winners, nevertheless Harry Aneziris, Tim O’Donnell, and Brian Robinson also delivered award-quality speeches that could have easily captured first place at a lesser club.

In keeping with the high quality of the evening, target speaker Maralyn Jabour delivered a brilliant test speech, Weber Johnson Was Not a Loser.  Despite her speech’s near perfection, the 6 speech evaluators found a few suggestions for improvement.  Congratulations to Brian Robinson, winner of the APS Speech Evaluation competition.  Congratulations also to Rafay Khalid, second-place winner and Tim O’Donnell, third-place winner in the Speech Evaluation contest.  Thanks go to our other competitors: Laurent Nicourt, Harry Aneziris, and Ivana Zgaljic, who also delivered perceptive evaluations.

The winners will advance to the Area 45 Spring Contest to be held on Monday, March 3, 2014 at Standard & Poor's, 55 Water Street, 37th Floor Riverview Room.  (Please disregard the location printed on the contest agenda—the correct location will be Standard & Poor’s address shown here.)

Special thanks to Contest Chair Wendy Reynoso-Alvarez, Contest Co-Chair Christine Navigante, and Chief Judge Andrea King, who ran a smooth operation that appeared seamless despite a plethora of last-minute changes due to the “Alberta Clipper” storm.  And our great appreciation to all those who served as contest officials.

Best wishes,

Marcia

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Marcia Berry

Secretary, Advanced Public Speakers