By Renee Larr
Zionsville Community High School students Eman Kadura and Elijah Davis recently earned the top spots in the Zionsville Optimist Club’s oratorical contest. This year’s theme was “What the World Gains from Optimism.” It was open to high school students under 18.
“They had between four to five minutes to give an oral presentation with no technology. It’s them a podium and a microphone,” said Tim Ottinger, president of the Zionsville Optimist Club. “Some of them have a little note card they may refer to, but everything else is just them and the audience. I’m always impressed by the really adult topics.”
The contest is coordinated through Zionsville Community High School by English teacher Kim Craven and Ed Bonnell, the club’s oratorical chair.
Kadura finished won first place in the girls category.
“She was born in Libya and talked about the struggle of her family to escape Muammar Gaddafi, a Libyan dictator,” Ottinger said.
Davis won first place in the boys category.
“He talked about looking at examples like Nelson Mandela and Martin Luther King Jr. They just pushed and pushed and pushed through the issues of discrimination,” Ottinger said.
The contest was held at Zionsville Community High School. Students were judged on their ability to stay within the time limit, their content and the way they delivered the presentation.
“It’s always very adult, professional presentations. I don’t know anything else that is more valuable in your personal and professional life as your ability to communicate,” Ottinger said.
The first-place winners participated in the regional competition in April 9 at the Masonic Shrine Club in Anderson.
