Marion Residents Sweep MSCC Speech Contest Titles

Mid-South Community College students Rhonda Carter and Tyler Woolbright, both from Marion, made the best oral presentations to win first-place awards at the 2012 Speech Contest held on Wednesday (April 18).
 

Carter captured top honors and a $100 gift card in the Prepared Speech competition, and Woolbright prevailed in the Impromptu Speaking division and earned a $50 gift card.

 

“I really appreciate everyone who participated,” said Mary Field, MSCC Communications instructor who coordinates the competition each year. “In many people’s minds, public speaking is one of the most frightening experiences there is, so I commend our participants for their courage, preparation, and poise.”
 

Jessica Denbow, Ballie Nichols, and Rhonda Carter

Alexis Jackson, Tyler Woolbright, Russell Howell, and Kenneth England

 Vickie Keeton, contest judge and MSCC Student Success Coordinator, also praised the competitors.
 

“We have some very talented students, and it was inspirational to see them perform the prepared speech with ease of stating content, expression of detail and quality of information, and sources cited,” Keeton said. “The impromptu speech was a great testimony to our students’ ability to think quickly and present ideas in a concise and informative way. All of the students were prepared and had great presentations.”
 

Carter presented “Challenges Students have to Overcome in Planning Their Future.” She began by talking about the importance of career selection and said individuals should pick an area that interests them and fits their personalities.
 

“It’s very important to choose a career that you will enjoy for the rest of your working days,” Carter said. “I’m here trying to pursue my dream career, a career in the medical field. I’ve had to overcome many challenges throughout this journey, and I’m sure there are more to come. But I’m determined to fulfill this dream.”
 

She encouraged students to seek input from family and friends, “but when it comes down to it, it’s your choice. They may sway you to choose a career that may not be best for you.”
 

In an informal survey of fellow students, Carter said she found that finances; balancing home life, work, and school; fear of computers, mathematics, and public speaking; and time management and organization topped most of the lists of major challenges. She pointed out that the concerns varied depending on the age of the students providing the feedback.
 

Carter, a non-traditional student, said information system technology “was one of my biggest fears when I came to school here. When I walked into my Comp I class, I looked and saw a computer at every desk. I didn’t even know how to turn it on. I grabbed young students and asked them to help.”
 

She encouraged listeners to continue working toward their goals.
 

“All of these challenges can be overcome. Never give up. Pursue your dreams, your career and your future. My dad has told me all of my life, ‘Pursue, pursue, pursue with great vigor.’ If it comes too easy, most of the time it’s not worth having.”
 

Ballie Nichols, West Memphis, placed second in the Prepared Speech category with an informative presentation on the challenges students face in college. Jessica Denbow, Proctor, came in third with an informative speech about the West Memphis Three. Nichols and Denbow earned $50 and $25 gift cards, respectively, for their efforts.
 

For the Impromptu Speaking competition, all participants received the same topic, “What are the Characteristics of an Effective Public Speaker?” and had 15 minutes to develop their presentations.
Woolbright started his speech by discussing President Barack Obama’s abilities as a public speaker.
 

“The man is an excellent speaker; he has all the traits of an effective speaker. He is very informative and persuasive. Whether you agree with him on the political level or not, the man is an excellent example of an effective speaker.”
 

The Impromptu Speaking champ said physical appearance, voice quality, and hand gestures all play a part in an effective presentation.
 

“The first thing people notice about a speaker will be their entrance,” Woolbright pointed out. “Do they have to be walking up to the podium in Armani suits? No. But someone who does not look well kept is usually less persuasive and convincing about the topic.”
 

“Do you sound confident? Do you sound like you know what you’re talking about? You want your audience to hear the words you’re speaking.” 

He said hand gestures are helpful in engaging the listeners. 

“You don’t want to throw them all over the place like you’re playing Wii sports or anything like that, but you want to connect with your audience.” In closing, Woolbright encouraged the audience to watch effective speakers, like President Obama, to gain a better understanding of how to make a powerful presentation.
 

Alexis Jackson of Gilmore placed second in the Impromptu Speaking competition, and received a $25 gift card. Kenneth England of West Memphis came in third and received a cake from MSCC’s Café/Grille. Honorable mentions included Destinie Corter, West Memphis, and Russell Howell, Marion.
 

All of the top finishers received speakers’ pins.

“We hope the participants will wear the pins proudly, not only for the rest of this semester, but in coming semesters so people will say, ‘Hey, where did you get that? What does that mean?’” Field said. “Then the students will have an opportunity to talk about the speech competition and promote it.”
 

MSCC employees Stephanie Eley, Erin Gordon, Donnylle Hampton, Keeton, and Ben Wise assisted with the annual event.
 

For more information about special academic events and competitions at the college, please call (870) 733-6728 or visit the campus at 2000 West Broadway in West Memphis. General information about the college can be found at www.midsouthcc.edu.