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Students vie in speech competition
WEB EDU Rotary 1
FPCA freshman Michelle Roberts delivers a speech Tuesday during the Hinesville Rotary Clubs annual speech contest. - photo by Photo by Danielle Hipps

“Is it the truth? Is it fair to all concerned? Will it build goodwill and better friendships? Will it be beneficial to all concerned?”

That’s the four-way test Rotary International uses as a guiding principle, and it also was at the center of the Hinesville Rotary Club’s annual speech competition Tuesday.

Although the competition is open to all high school students who reside in the county, only three students — all from First Presbyterian Christian Academy — participated. FPCA senior Emily Hickey and freshmen Elise Letnaunchyn and Michelle Roberts  are members of the school’s Interact club, Rotary’s service club for youth.

The contest aims to develop a broad study and application of the test as a moral and ethical model for behavior. Speeches are to be between three and four minutes long, and they must be delivered in extemporaneous style and with little visual prompting.

Letnaunchyn spoke first and offered some historical background on the test and its creation. She summarized the test and its applications, and added, “It will forever change my life and every decision-making opportunity that I have.”

Next, Hickey spoke about how the question of truth should be applied to life for the sake of maintaining credibility and integrity.

“It’s kind of terrifying, being in front of people,” Hickey said before the contest. She prepared for two weeks before giving her speech, but said it’s important to practice such skills, especially for students who plan to go into communication-oriented fields in the future.

Roberts spoke last, and she said that test creator Herbert J. Taylor crafted the guideline to steer his failing business back to success.

“Every day, we are approached with tons and hundreds of choices, and most of the time we don’t even realize it,” she said. “In my opinion, I believe that Herbert Taylor has tackled every single way of (making) choices, whether it’s our actions, or it’s our thoughts, or it’s our words.”

Roberts placed first, Hickey was second and Letnaunchyn third. They were awarded $100, $50 and $25, respectively.

Roberts advanced to the next round, where the winner gets $1,000.

“You can always have speaking opportunities, and rehearsing speeches and practicing them always helps,” Roberts said, adding that the practice makes it easier for one to express his or her feelings on a topic.

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Interstate lane closures, detours set
Traffic shift in effect for 20 days near Savannah Airport
GaDOT

The Georgia Department of Transportation continues to improve highway infrastructure throughout the area. As a result, work on construction and maintenance projects will continue through Saturday. Closure schedules may change due to weather or other factors.

Lane closures by county are scheduled as follows:

 

Bryan County

·         From 7 a.m. to 7 p.m. through Friday I-16 Westbound from US 80/Exit 143 to SR 119/Exit 137 will have single-lane closures for bridge rehabilitation work.

 

Chatham County I-95 Resurfacing

·         There will be continuous double-lane closures and a shift in traffic patterns for 20 days near the Savannah Airport as approach slabs at Pipemakers Bridge are replaced. Lane closures will be in effect between mileposts 103 and 104 Monday, and ramp closures at Exit 102 will be in effect from 8 p.m. to 5 a.m. Monday and Tuesday.

 

Liberty County

·         From 7 p.m. to 7 a.m. through May 12, there will be nightly ramp closures with detours at I-95 exits 76 and 67 to replace existing concrete on ramps.

 

For more information about travel conditions on Georgia’s interstates and state routes, call 511. More information is also available at www.511ga.org.  

The Georgia Department of Transportation continues to improve highway infrastructure throughout the area. As a result, work on construction and maintenance projects will continue through Saturday. Closure schedules may change due to weather or other factors.

Lane closures by county are scheduled as follows:

 

Bryan County

·         From 7 a.m. to 7 p.m. through Friday I-16 Westbound from US 80/Exit 143 to SR 119/Exit 137 will have single-lane closures for bridge rehabilitation work.

 

Chatham County I-95 Resurfacing

·         There will be continuous double-lane closures and a shift in traffic patterns for 20 days near the Savannah Airport as approach slabs at Pipemakers Bridge are replaced. Lane closures will be in effect between mileposts 103 and 104 Monday, and ramp closures at Exit 102 will be in effect from 8 p.m. to 5 a.m. Monday and Tuesday.

 

Liberty County

·         From 7 p.m. to 7 a.m. through May 12, there will be nightly ramp closures with detours at I-95 exits 76 and 67 to replace existing concrete on ramps.

 

For more information about travel conditions on Georgia’s interstates and state routes, call 511. More information is also available at www.511ga.org. 

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