Congratulations Nick Lewis! Job Well Done!

We are pleased to say congratulations to Nick Lewis for his success in the Lions Student Speaker Contest:

“Ah, Eureka High; you are the only school for me….”  We all know the words to our song but do we really know what it means to put those words into action and make money at it too?  Ask Senior Nick Lewis.  He just represented us in a contest designed to help high school age kids use their talents to stand up and speak their mind before an audience and make money at it. 

The contest was the Lions Student Speaker Contest.   Every year the Lions Clubs of California choose a topic which is timely and thought provoking and challenge high school age young people to develop a 5 to 10 minute speech about it. The topic that Nick spoke about this year was “What could the America of yesterday teach the America of tomorrow?”

The speech is given as many times as the student wins, starting at a local Club contest and, after four more contests, ending at the final statewide contest. Nick made it through three levels and made $350 before losing out to a sophomore from a high school in Sonoma who won a $4500 scholarship in a contest with Nick and 4 other students representing schools from a large chunk of Northwestern California. If she wins at the next level contest, she will win a $6500 scholarship and, if she goes on to win the statewide contest, she will win an additional $10,000 scholarship. 

Is Nick disappointed at not winning the contest held last Saturday in Napa? “No way”, says he. “I got a chance to practice public speaking in a non-threatening setting and made money at it.  There are no losers in this competition.  I got $75 for winning the contest at the local level but would have received $25 had I just showed up and given my speech without winning”. 

Each contest is judged by three or more business and professional people from the community.  After the competition is over, they often sit down with the contestants and give them pointers to improve their speaking abilities.  “Their suggestions really helped me”, says Nick; “and I wouldn’t have been able to get that kind of advice any other way.” 

“The cool thing about the contests besides winning the money was showing people from other schools and communities that Eureka High has students who care enough to stand up and be heard on a topic about which there are many different opinions.”  We think Nick showed a good number of people in this and other communities why Eureka High is the only school for us.  Way to go Nick.

Nick was the only one to take advantage of the many benefits of the contest this year.  If there are any who want to give it a try next year, talk with Mrs. Rivera and she will get you in touch with a representative from the Eureka Host Lions Club who will sign you up for the fun and money.

By: Marty Van Zandt

We would also like to thank the Eureka Host Lions Club for giving our students the chance to participate in this wonderful contest. What an awesome opportunity to develop better speaking,  writing skills and to develop self confidence.  Way to go Nick!