St. Monica School middle school students participated in six of eight events at three speech tournaments sponsored by local Catholic high schools. The students had the opportunity to compete in the tournaments hosted by Bishop Blanchet High School, Seattle Preparatory School and Eastside Catholic School.

Sixth, seventh and eighth grade students throughout the Seattle Archdiocese participate in the competitive speaking program that has long been a tradition among Catholic schools. Speech categories include expository speaking, editorial commentary, oratory, impromptu and interpretive reading.

“Our program is extra-curricular, with students meeting after school to research, write and practice their speeches,” said coach Nancy Baron.

St. Monica students who won awards for the 2010-2011 school year were: sixth-grader Caitlin Fennelly, with her editorial commentary about the Mexican drug war, and Alexia Guillot de Suduiraut, Ashley Malone, Lauryn Brittain and Caitlin Fennelly in children’s storybook.

Seventh-graders Sam Johnson, with his expository speech on life-threatening allergies, and Brynne Weed, with an editorial commentary on search and seizure, brought home awards, as did Mary Margaret Hubert for her humorous interpretive reading, and McKenna DeBruyne and Conner Vacca for their duo interpretive reading.

Eighth-graders Katie Macaulay and Erinn Schmidt earned top awards in expository speaking; Katie for her speech on the brown pelican’s fate following the B.P. Oil Spill, and Erinn for her speech on cleft palates and Operation Smile.

“I liked speech team from the start,” said Fennelly. “You feel more confident speaking in class or just around the house. It’s a really fun way to learn how to present information.”