38th Annual Speech Tournament winners announced

NEVADA COUNTY, Calif. March 13, 2024 – The Nevada County Superintendent of Schools hosted its 38^th Annual Speech Tournament for 4^th through 8^th graders. The tournament was sponsored by Tri Counties Bank, the Rotary Club of Grass Valley and the Bookseller.  This year’s speech topic was “My biggest concern for the future is…” Students gave passionate speeches that included topics such as global warming, gun violence, technology, endangered species, drugs and AI.

The preliminary and semi-finals competition was held on March 8^th at Calvary Bible Church.  Sixty-four of the top oration students, from eleven local schools, competed in a round-robin fashion, with students reciting speeches three times, each time to a different judge. Semi-finalists were determined, and their speeches were recited one last time in front of three judges.  Three finalists from each grade were then invited to the Speech Finals competition, to be held a few days later.

The initial judging team consisted of 12 volunteers from local businesses and organizations as well as retired educational professionals.  The speeches were evaluated on content and delivery with a time limit of no less than two minutes and no more than three and a half minutes.

The student finalists presented their speeches at an evening program on March 11^th, held at the Miner’s Foundry, in Nevada City.  The esteemed panel of judges consisted of representatives from local Toastmasters groups.  Each finalist received a first, second, or third place trophy and a $25 Book Seller gift certificate.

The 2024 Speech Tournament winners are as follows:

4^th Grade:

1^st Place Amelia Bassett – Union Hill

2^nd Place Blake Salter – Union Hill

3^rd Place Willem Preston – Seven Hills     

5^th Grade:

1^st Place Logan Vanaman-Yardley – Seven Hills

2^nd Place Adrian Botha – Mt. St. Mary’s

6^th Grade:

1^st Place Julia diCristina – Lyman Gilmore

2^nd Place Finley Kolodjay – Grass Valley Charter

3^rd Place Balen Ahern – Seven Hills

7^th Grade:

1^st Place Beck Herzog  – Grass Valley Charter

2^nd Place Austin Peters – Mt. St. Mary’s

3^rd Place Ava Becker – Mt. St. Mary’s

8^th Grade:

1^st Place Cailee Perez-Montalvo – Union Hill

2^nd Place Brooke Colvin – Nevada City School of the Arts

3^rd Place Jasper Bush – Twin Ridges