We Talk to Walls by Jenna

We Talk to Walls by Jenna - December 2013 Scholarship Essay

Nearly four years ago to the day, I summoned up the courage to audition for my school’s speech team. From my first practice ever until this point in time I have grown leaps and bounds, and much of my growth as a person can be attributed to my involvement in the speech team. Speech has taught me several important lessons and life skills which I aspire to carry with me throughout my life.

Public speaking has taught me how to be confident. Speaking in front of strangers, peers and teachers has allowed me to feel comfortable in front of crowds. I get excited when hearing that we will be presenting a project in a particular class because I know that I can easily talk in front of a group. Before speech, I considered myself a very quiet person, but through the last four years I have seen myself come out of my shell and become more comfortable in my own skin. I have incorporated the skills I have learned in effectively public speaking to the groups and organizations that I lead.

Another wonderful skill acquired through speech involves my improvement in writing and analysis. Since I compete in a category that involves a component in which I analyze a speech it is only fitting that speech has fostered my growth of writing. The perspective I have of literature and speeches in particular has changed since I have rhetorically critiqued several famous speeches. I also look at literature in class from a perspective of looking for the author’s purpose, motives and effectiveness, rather than just pleasure. Without speech team my reading and writing skills would not be at the intellectual level that they are today.

Finally, speech has expanded my friendships. With a team of sixty students, it is hard to get to know everyone, but I have had the pleasure of building relationships with such wonderful people over the last four years through speech team. Some of my best friends I have met through speech. I also have built great relationships with teachers in my school that are speech team coaches. These connections, and the memories shared over the last four years have shaped me into the person that I am today.

I would not trade my early Saturday mornings, twelve hours dressed in a suit, yelling at a wall, and never seeing the sun days for anything. I have grown as a person, speaker, writer and friend through my involvement in the speech team. The hard work put into speech over the last four years has reaped benefits in several aspects of my life. My dedication to speech team has aided in my growth into the person that I am today and I am forever grateful for my years as a member and captain of the team.