Kincardine student advances to Legion provincial public-speaking competition

Everlie Waite (right) of Kincardine has advanced to the Legion provincial public-speaking competition and will be travelling to Napanee, May 2, to give her speech on "The Power of Positive Thinking."

The Grade 8 student at St. Anthony's School in Kincardine is thrilled to reach this level.

"This is a huge accomplishment for me," she says. "Public speaking has always been part of my life, and I've always wanted to make it this far. Now, I have and I'm really excited to see what will happen!"

Obviously, Everlie is living her speech, as she has progressed through the school public-speaking contest, followed by the Legion Branch, Zone, District and Area competitions. She is now among the final four students remaining in all of Ontario in the intermediate division (Grades 7-9).

Everlie began writing her speech in December, anticipating the first stage of competition at St. Anthony's in February. This is her sixth year in the Legion competition - her previous topics included "Taking Care of Puppies," "Animals Helping People," "The Power of Persistence," and "The Hidden Gifts of Failure."

In past years, she has been runner-up at the Zone C-1 finals twice, and runner-up at the District level once.

This year, after the Zone C-1 competition, she was invited to give her speech at the Legion Zone C-1 spring convention in Wingham.

Saturday (April 18), in Fergus, she spoke at the Legion Area competition which included winning students from District C (Kincardine, as well as Owen Sound to Goderich to Kitchener), District D (Toronto, from Etobicoke to Scarborough) and District E (north of Toronto to Parry Sound - Orangeville, Markham, Barrie, Orillia and Huntsville)

She won first and will now compete against three other students from across Ontario at the provincial competition in Napanee, May 2. The trip is supported by the Legion, with coverage of travel, hotel and meal costs.

Everlie has had great support from the Legion and her teachers at St. Anthony's School throughout this process.



Everlie Waite (third from right) of Kincardine wins the intermediate division at the Legion Area public-speaking competition, held Saturday in Fergus; with her, from left, are District C commander Dennis Schmidt, District E youth education chairperson Kate Palmer, primary winner Emma G. of Walkerton, junior winner Jeffery W. of Richmond Hill, senior winner Laynee M. of Stratford, and District C youth education chairman John Lowe; photos courtesy of David Waite



Everlie Waite (second from right) of Kincardine holds her award, alongside the Area intermediate division runner-up (centre), along with District C commander Dennis Schmidt (left), District E youth education chairperson Kate Palmer, and District C youth education chairman John Lowe