My Enlightenment through Speech Class by Alejandro

My Enlightenment through Speech Class by Alejandro - August 2016 Scholarship Essay

Public speaking was never one of my strong suits; because I, a small boy in a tall person's world, always kept to myself. However, this all changed with my brash and sudden introduction in the mandatory speaking course known as Speech class that changed me from a frail boy to a vocal man. A wake up call of sorts, this class taught me the everyday importance of the following virtues: honesty, passion, and courage.

I learned through other people's speeches that honesty, through sarcasm or representing your own views, is the foundation of an influential speech. For instance, Martin Luther King Jr.'s astounding speeches are made by someone who truly has a dream about that dream and, on the other hand, Nominee Hillary Clinton's speeches are made by someone funded by the establishment that are about fighting the establishment. These two speeches, at least from my own point of view, have differing levels of legitimacy because of who is speaking them. Together, these two arrangements of words on paper translated to sound, show that being true to what you are speaking sounds better than if you brazenly lied through your teeth.I applied this to my other classes, especially my debate team, and found myself suddenly more willing to confront anything in my way.

From my own pitiful introduction speeches I learned that being passionate about what I honestly believe will make all the difference in the world. Two specific examples of passionate speech are those by the Nominee Donald Trump and Senator Bernie Sanders during their bids for the presidency. These two have radically different views, but both were honest and passionate about what they believe, at least in speech. This is one of the main reasons why they both gathered enormous followings.

Lastly, I learned courage from my views being both challenged and tested. Politically incorrect views that are spoken about online or on air both offer extreme levels of challenge, but the people making the arguments appear braver than those who bow down to the will of the media. An example of these type of speeches would be by the Republican Nominee Donald Trump, who's tenacity and will has gripped the very heart of many who have felt that their views were being trampled on. During class, I would take cues from those like Trump and would actually become a better speaker because of it. Of course, courage must come from honesty, or else the speaker will be seen as a snake instead of an eagle!

When all the puzzle pieces are fit together, the lessons of having great will and passion towards what you honestly believe may give you challenges in life, thus making you more vocal and drawing people you never knew had similar opinions closer to you so you can fight these challenges together. Not only have I become a happier student because of these lessons; but I have become a more active, and rather boisterous, American.