The Coronado Rotary Club recently hosted the Barrio Logan College Institute (BLCI) high school finalists. The students participated in the Rotary 4-Way Test Speech Contest during an evening meeting at Sharp Coronado Hospital Auditorium.
The four finalists were selected from 17 BLCI students who took part in workshop sessions with Coronado Rotarian and Love Real Estate managing broker Dominique Davis, and Evan Moulton, Love Real Estate broker owner.
These students do not have speech and debate teams or coaches. Some of the students had never given a speech of this type before. Dominique and Evan served as mentors and coaches to the students.
Audience members became their biggest fans, as the BLCI high school finalists delivered impactful speeches about their life stories. The young people showed incredible courage as they delivered vividly heartfelt messages about the worth of human beings. Public speaking is a task few undertake easily. These finalists presented their speeches passionately, deeply inspiring the audience filled with Rotarians, staff and family.
Dominique and Evan gained the students’ trust, working with the them to encourage self-awareness in their incredible potential, and in their ability to believe in their worth and capabilities to succeed in whatever they attempt…. even attempting “out of the box” ventures such as giving remarkable speeches.
Evan and Dominique spoke about how, in a positive learning environment, students felt safe to begin to speak out, and with continued encouragement learn about their strengths as wonderful, smart human beings.
Esme, Maria, Cecilia, and Maricruz welcomed the audience into their worlds and wowed the crowd with their passionate and uplifting words. Throughout the evening, many in the audience could better understand both the challenges these students face, and the incredible transformations that can happen through loving support.
The judges awarded the First Place prize of $200 to Maria, the Second Place prize of $100 to Maricruz, and the Finalist prizes of $50 each to Cecilia and Esme. First and second place winners, Maria and Maricruz, will be representing Barrio Logan College Institute and Coronado Rotary at the next level of the San Diego District 5340 4-Way Test Speech Contest in March and April.
The speech contest asked the students to use the questions in Rotary International’s Four-Way Test to check the premise of their speeches.
Rotary’s Four-Way Test is one of the world’s most widely printed and quoted statements of nonpartisan and nonsectarian ethics, and has been translated into more than 100 languages.
The Rotary Club of Coronado proudly supports the Barrio Logan College Institute’s Education Program. The mission of the Barrio Logan College Institute (BLCI) is to break the cycle of poverty by preparing underserved students to be the first in their families to go to college through after-school programs that begin in third grade.
BLCI gives disadvantaged families the education, encouragement, and support they need to send their kids to college. Tutors, mentors, and speakers work hand-in-hand with students, families, and staff.
All BLCI students are the first generation in their families to attend college and most are, or will be, the first to graduate from high school. Staff, students and parents form a supportive community whose goal is student success. 100% of BLCI high school graduates enroll in colleges and universities nationwide.
To learn more about BLCI please visit www.blci.org. To learn more about Coronado Rotary and all we do, please visit coronadorotary.org.
