AMERICUS — Southland Academy hosted its Lower School Speech Contest for third-fifth grades recently, in the Academic Center of the Deriso Building. Ten very talented finalists were in the competition. Each student presented a speech to family, friends, and three guest judges. They were scored on presentation, clarity, expression, projection, poise and posture, and interpretation. Following the contest, the finalists and their families were honored at a reception sponsored by the Speech Contest committee and the third-grade parents.
The speech contest is just one of the avenues that allow Southland Academy to strive to challenge the best in its students to showcase their talents. Adolescent learning needs encouragement and support from parents and teachers, and Southland desires to help its students achieve their potential and help them expand their horizons. Likewise, beginning this type of academic endeavor as lower school students will help Southland’s young students evolve into integral participants in our upper school literary teams as well as help them develop a life-long skill.
The winner of the 2016 Southland Academy Speech Contest with “Have Fun! Be Careful” is fourth-grader Julia Clare Hubbard. She is the daughter of Mark Hubbard and Genie Giles. The second-place winner is fifth-grader John Henry Crisp. He presented “Participation,” and he is the son of John and Whitney Crisp. The third-place winner is Annslee Rooks with “Papa.” She is the fifth-grade daughter of William and Laura Rooks.
Receiving Honorable Mention Awards were:  fourth-graders Sophia Blankenship and Taylor Humphrey; fifth-graders Lainey Collier, Taylor Ragsdale, Eva Grace Studdard, Lauren Duke, and Chandler Dragoin.