Devin Murray won the Lions Club Student Speaker Contest for the Shasta Central Zone on Saturday afternoon at the Burney Lions Club.
Chairman Walt Libal, Devin Murray, and Darcy Coulter
Two students competed in the zone level contest. Devin, a Senior at Burney High School, was the winner of the Burney Lions Club level contest. Darcy Coulter, a Junior at Fall River High School, was the winner of the Fall River Lions Club level contest.
Walt Libal, Chairman of the Shasta Central Zone, chaired the contest. The topic was “Integrity and Civility Play What Role in Today’s Society?” Each student gave a speech that was to be no less that five minutes and no more than ten minutes.
Both students delivered excellent expositions on the topic. Darcy gave a testimony to a mentor who had deeply influenced her life and then led the audience through an insightful investigation of how honesty, vulnerability, and humility inform integrity.
“Actions speak louder than words,” she stated, citing a study that showed the importance of non-verbal communication. She also pointed out that if you are civil to others it is more likely that they will be kind and helpful to you in return.
Devin artfully delivered a polished speech explaining why integrity and civility are the foundation for a stable community and society. He used the example of a man who had demonstrated moral leadership. He drew an analogy between moral integrity in community building and structural integrity in engineering. His arguments were backed up by quotations from various authoritative sources.
While the judges were tallying the scores, the two speakers introduced themselves. Darcy’s mom attended to support her. Devin’s parents, sister, grandmother, and Burney High speech coach Melissa Madden all came to watch Devin.
After the winner was announced, Chairman Libal presented each of the students with a certificate. Devin received a scholarship check for $150.
Contest Judges Paul Skinner, Dr. Pam Woodin, Travis Lakey, and Connie Cleckler also received a certificate of gratitude and a box of chocolates.
Devin will go on to compete in the Region level contest. The contest will be held before April 9. The exact date and location have not yet been determined.
This is the 81st annual Student Speakers Contest sponsored by the Lions Fourth District Student Speakers Foundation. There are six levels of competition: club, zone, region, district, area, and the final Multiple Four District Contest.
Altogether, the foundation will award more than $103,000 in scholarships to students. Awards increase with each level. Fifteen District winners will each receive a $4,500.00 scholarship. Four Area winners will each receive an additional $6,500.00 scholarship, and the winner of the final Multiple District Four Contest will receive an additional $10,000.00 scholarship.
Pit River Country 