Wednesday, March 21, 2001
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Wednesday, March 21, 2001 |
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Local students' oratory wins Optimist contest
By CAROLYN
CARY
Four Fayette students placed in the Optimist International Oratorical Contest for Zone 10 recently at the Fayette County Public Library. Hosted by the Optimist Club of Fayetteville, there were club level winners from Fayette County and Henry County. The contest was open to boys and girls in public, private or parochial schools who had not obtained the age of 16 prior to or on Jan. 1. The six winners competing in the Zone 10 level were Kendell Harrell, Brian Ingram, Jake Hearn, Andrea Zonnevelo, Lindsey Mitchell and Kanya Singhapakdi. Taking first place for the boys was Kendell Harrell, 11, a student at St. John's Catholic School. He spoke on his vision for the future in which there will be more far-reaching medicines, a woman president and the field of technology continuing in a constant state of change. He pointed out that a number of presidents had formerly been governors of their states. "At the current time," he said, "there are four women who are governors of their states. "There is good medicine and there is bad medicine and I encourage the medical field to be careful of what they present to the market," he said. Second place went to Brian Ingram, 14, Rising Starr Middle School, and third place went to Jake Hearn, 16, Henry County High School. Chosen as first place for the girls was Andrea Zonnevelo, 14, a student at Starr's Mill High School. "We are the future," she said, "and we must be able to take the risks involved in advancing to the future. We must be innovative and become as familiar with our computer mouse as those in the past became familiar with the slide rule and the typewriter. "Are we in danger of not being needed any more? No, because our brain allows us to question our approach to a problem; a computer cannot do that." Second place went to Kanya Singhapakdi, 12, a student at Rising Starr Middle School and third place went to Lindsey Mitchell, 15, Henry County High School. The top two will head to Macon in April to participate in the district contest where the winners will receive $1,500 scholarships. The first, second and third winners at the club level received medallions, and at the zone level, each received a plaque. Fayetteville club President Joe Lundell thanked the judges, County Commissioner Linda Wells; school Principal Mike Maxwell; Chris Snell, director of the Fayette County Public Library, and serving as the timer, Marion Blume, a former coach and teacher at Woodward Academy and McIntosh High School.
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