Eighth Grade Speaking Contest

116th Eighth Grade Speaking Contest was held on Friday, April 5, 2024. Wyatt Reimer earned first place for his speech, "Sports are Expensive: How Can You Help?"

Congratulations to all the finalists for the thoughtful, well-prepared speeches delivered with passion and confidence.

"Sports are Expensive: How Can You Help?"

"Why Every Student Should Learn a Foreign Language"

"Car Dependency"

Finalists/ Honorable Mentions: 

 

"The Ambition to Learn"

"What a Giant, Plastic Mess We've Made"

 

"Stop Running From Your Problems"

 

 

 

Thank you to our Speaking Contest judges who joined the time-honored US tradition of celebrating and practicing the art of public speaking:

 

Mr. Joseph P. Keithley ’67 is the former Chairman of the Board, President and CEO of Keithley Instruments, Inc., a provider of advanced electrical instrumentation for the electronics industry. Joe is a longtime patron of the arts, receiving a 2023 Cleveland Arts Prize. He is a graduate of Cornell University and earned his MBA from the University of Michigan. 

 

Mr. Neil Waxman is a University School Trustee and parent to Drew ’06 and Peter ’10. Neil is Managing Director at Capital Advisors, Ltd., and has 40 years experience as a financial advisor. He is a graduate of PennWest Edinboro University.

 

Julian Berger ’24 was the 2020 second place finisher in the Eighth Grade Speaking Contest with his speech, "Why the Electoral College Should be Abolished." He is a current senior, head of the Pacific Islander Society, an accomplished guitarist in the jazz band, and a football player. Julian will attend Vanderbilt University, where he plans to major in economics and jazz studies. 

 

Every year, each eighth-grade student prepares a speech on a topic of their choice and delivers it in his English class. Boys in each class vote to propel a classmate or two to the semifinals. Semifinalists deliver their speeches to a panel of faculty judges, who select the finalists. The entire Middle School community gathers for a special assembly where the finalists perform their speeches. The winner and runners-up are chosen by a small panel of judges from the US community and beyond.