It was a morning of stellar oration at Elwood’s James H. Boyd Intermediate School, as 21 dedicated students presented memorized speeches of eight paragraphs or more on May 28 during the school’s annual three-hour Speech-a-Thon. Luca Kaminsky served as the event's emcee, with Melanie Shek as assistant emcee and Giuliana Lanzetta as technology assistant. Speech sources for the event included Pres. John F. Kennedy, Dr. Martin Luther King Jr., Cal Ripken Jr., Arnold Schwarzenegger and Oprah Winfrey, as well as self-written pieces by the students themselves.   

“This experience showed that when we work hard to exceed our expectations, amazing things happen,” Shek said. “My classmates and I worked diligently to learn our speeches and recite them. In addition to having plenty of fun along the way, the Speech-a-Thon jas impacted our lives by teaching us valuable life skills including public speaking, confidence and steppng out of our comfort zones.”

Teacher Marsha McLeod, the Speech-a-Thon’s organizer, described the skill of public speaking as a superpower, one that succeeds in helping students overcome their anxiety about speaking in front of their parents and peers.

“You will forever be changed because of your willingness to cast your fears aside and be vulnerable in order to step into your well-earned superpower,” McLeod told the speakers. “You have given yourself the ability to conquer anything and propel yourself to great heights. Your performance today should have proven to you that no challenge is insurmountable. May today's event help you utilize your superpower and assist you in morphing into the extraordinary human beings you are destined to become.”

Date Added: 6/17/2025