Four students emerged as first place winners in the district’s 30th Annual Patriotic Speech Contest on Thursday, March 2.
For the contest, fifth- and sixth-grade students delivered a two-to-three minute persuasive speech on one of several topics patriotic in nature based on a prompt. Seventh- and eighth-graders prepared a three-to-five minute persuasive speech on patriotism, and interpreted famous quotes as the inspiration for their speech.
The judging panel consisted of Dr. Jim Reed of Glendale Community College (GCC), Dr. Melanie Lehman from ASU, Peoria City Councilmember Bridget Binsbacher, airmen from Luke Air Force Base, as well as Peoria Unified Governing Board members and Peoria Unified staff. In addition to serving as a judge, Dr. Reed recruited the GCC Speech and Debate team to hold a workshop for students who were competing on March 2. In addition, GCC professors held a workshop during the district’s Professional Development Day on Feb. 21 for Peoria Unified teachers to help better prepare their students for public speaking.
Parents and community members can watch and listen to all of the Patriotic Speech Contest contestants on the district’s YouTube Channel at the end of March at the following link: www.youtube.com/pusdofficialchannel.
The top Patriotic Speech Contest winners from Area 1 elementary schools, in the 7th/8th grade division:
1st Place: Colleen Corcoran from Frontier Elementary School
2nd Place: Franz Mascunana from Parkridge Elementary School
3rd Place: Jimmy Wagner from Lake Pleasant Elementary School
4th Place: Mackenzie Prazak from Coyote Hills Elementary School
5th Place: Annabelle Barrier from Peoria Traditional School
The top Patriotic Speech Contest winners from Area 1 elementary schools, in the 5th/6th grade division:
1st Place: Ivy Sada from Frontier Elementary School
2nd Place: Justin Frantz from Oakwood Elementary School
3rd Place: SaraBeth Smith from Foothills Elementary School
4th Place: Elana Yoder from Parkridge Elementary School
5th Place: Alexis Young from Lake Pleasant Elementary School
The top Patriotic Speech Contest winners from Area 2 elementary schools, in the 7th/8th grade division:
1st Place: Eva Cherian from Marshall Ranch Elementary School
2nd Place: Francesca Maglalang from Sahuaro Ranch Elementary School
3rd Place: Fredreka Wheeler from Sky View Elementary School
4th Place: Izaak Kary from Copperwood Elementary School
5th Place: Autumn Laciste from Alta Loma Elementary School
The top Patriotic Speech Contest winners from Area 2 elementary schools, in the 5th/6th grade division:
1st Place: Joey Young from Alta Loma Elementary School
2nd Place: Abigail Peterson from Santa Fe Elementary School
3rd Place: Victoria Ordonez Caraveo from Desert Palms Elementary School
4th Place: Erica Maglalang from Sahuaro Ranch Elementary School
5th Place: Charles Nguyen from Sun Valley Elementary School
Peoria Unified, located in the Northwest Valley, serves more than 36,000 students in 34 elementary schools, seven high schools and one non-traditional high school. With ongoing open enrollment and alternative educational opportunities, the district boasts a 93 percent high school graduation rate. It is one of the largest unified school districts in Arizona and prides itself on excelling schools, award-winning teachers, high test scores, specialized signature programs and championship sports programs. The Vision of the Peoria Unified School District is “Every student, every day, prepared to shape tomorrow.” For more information, visit the district’s website at www.peoriaunified.org.
Source: Peoria Unified School District.