SAMS students place high in state oratorical competition
By Warren Cobb Community Editor
Two St. Andrew’s Middle School students were recently honored in the South Carolina Optimist oratorical contest, held recently in Columbia. Delany McConnell, a 7th grader, was the 1st place winner in the girls’ category. She also placed 1st in the Charleston County competition. Ronnie Chatterjee, a SAMS 8th grader placed in the top five, and was also the Charleston district boys’ 1st place winner. West Ashley Optimist Club sponsored Delany and Charleston Optimist Club sponsored Ronnie.
SAMS Sail/Honors Enrichment teacher Debbie Brigman coached the students. “This was one of the hardest competitions I’ve ever seen in 35 years,” she says. “Some of these other kids were groomed. Some of them were privately coached. And my kids were first-timers.”
The contest was based on a theme of “For Me, Optimism is…” McConnell’s win got her a $1,500 scholarship from the Optimist Club. “ The students did a wonderful job presenting their speeches about the questions posed to them,” says District Oratorical Contest Chair Melvin Bannister. “The Optimists who have heard them speak have no doubt that these students have a bright future ahead of them.”
Brigman says she pushes all of her students to be a good public speaker, and that’s why this victory at an oratorical competition is so sweet. “This is essential in life. We all need to be able to speak in public,” she says. “It’s one of the first impressions people gets of you.”
Brigman says all kids have the ability to be good speakers, and good competitors in the oratorical competition. They just need to be coached a little bit. “Don’t tell me the youth of this day are lazy, it’s just that society doesn’t expect enough of them,” she says. “If you push them, they’re going to do.”
She expressed great pride in McConnell and Chatterjee’s performances. “I think both are exceptional young people, “Brigman says. “I love her spunk, I love the way she can work an audience. We’re going to hear a lot from these kids in the future.”
Seventh grader Delany McConnell was the First Place Winner in the girls’ of the S.C. Optimist Club’s Oratorical Contest.
Ronnie Chatterjee also participated in the event, placing in the top five. Chatterjee, an eighth grader was also the Charleston district boys’ First Place winner.
