Words have the power to persuade, inspire and leave a lasting impact. Something the Gators proved with their outstanding performance at the speech and debate state championship.
The team placed 3rd overall, with outstanding performances by seniors Maryam Al Qaderi, Stella Chamoff and Sadie LaMagna. Al Qaderi, in particular, placed first overall in original oratory.
An original oratory is a 10-minute-long speech about the speaker’s chosen subject/argument. Al Qaderi chose to write it on the “contagious smile,” elaborating on how people must appreciate joy and happiness amidst life’s complexities.
“I was inspired by my mother, who always showed me how important optimism is. Being happy does not mean that we have to pretend that life is perfect. Happiness is not about perfection, but rather it is about appreciating the moments of joy we see among all of the struggles, challenges and obstacles in life. This was the message that I was trying to deliver in my speech,” Al Qaderi said.
A moment she will never forget during her performance is when she finished her speech and saw all of the smiling faces of the audience looking at her.
She recalls how speech and debate has made her the public speaker and writer she is today, and how it has given her a platform and opportunities to become a better communicator.
Al Qaderi will be attending Harvard University next year, where she plans to continue speech and debate.
LaMagna recalls how the team started preparing for this competition back in December, around its Winter Trophy Tournament. From then on, teammates have drilled every day leading up to the competition.
LaMagna, a finalist for informative speech, wrote her performance on “mythmaking and the human tendency seen throughout history to create stories to understand or justify aspects of nature or humanity.”
Additionally, she covers the uses of ancient myths for ancient peoples, how ancient myths are used and interpreted today to adhere to modern values, how people still create myths today and how dangerous it can be if human beings blind themselves to hard truths about the world through myths.
LaMagna included visual aids to make her speech more engaging, something that made her stand out to the judges. Speech and Debate has shown LaMagna what it means to be able to speak confidently about topics important to her, and has given her skills she uses on a daily basis.
Sister Joan Fitzgerald, president of Xavier, is exceptionally pleased with what these Gators have accomplished. “They have upheld Xavier’s legacy of speech and debate, and have made us proud.”
The Gators’ hard work and passion paid off, securing a strong finish and leaving a lasting impact on their audiences. Their talent and dedication continue to set them apart in the world of speech and debate.
