The Geneva School of Boerne Eighth Grade Oratory Contest is a highlight of the Logic School experience. This competition began in 2007 and has become a tradition in which each student memorizes a piece from a selection of historic poems and speeches and delivers the prepared recitation in front of a panel of judges. The Oratory Contest is a precursor to the Senior Thesis which students prepare and present at the culmination of their Geneva education.
After six weeks of memorization and honing verbal and non-verbal elements, 58 Geneva eighth graders presented either a historical speech or poem in front of their peers, parents, faculty and judges in the preliminary round. From this, the top 12 speakers advanced to the final round of competition which was held on Monday in Geneva’s Lyceum.
First place was awarded to Catalina Lozada for her delivery of Severn Suzuki’s 1992 Address to the United Nations Delegation on the Environment and Development. Caleb Quitadamo was second with his recitation of Jim Valvano’s 1992 speech accepting the Arthur Ashe Courage Award. Rosie Troyer earned third place for her delivery of a President Ronald Reagan’s speech from the Brandenburg Gate from 1987. Other finalists were Zoey Briggs, Wyatt Ellerman-Rew, Carlyle Harden, Carter Krug, Cooper Lawson, Nathan Player, Brooke Sachs, Landry Smith and Adelina Vela.
