Are you a graduating senior? Are you interested in writing a speech for graduation? Do you want to honor your class one last time by eloquently speaking in front of students, parents, and staff? Then this announcement is for you. Senior graduation speech tryouts will take place on Wednesday, April 30 at 2:30 in Mr. Lopinot’s room (D107). The speech must be around 3-minutes and the judges ask that a copy of it be brought along with the person auditioning.

Each person trying out will have their speech judged by a panel of English teachers. According to Mr. Lopinot, the judges will be looking for two speeches that work well together.

“Usually one is going to be a reflective speech about what the class has gone through at Pattonville and the other one tends to be looking towards the future.” Lopinot said.

So while there is no specific traits that the judges are looking for in the speech, students really have free reign over the topic of the speech. The judges will also have to discern whether or not the speeches will not overlap and become redundant.

Mr. Lopinot also offers advice to the seniors auditioning. He says to make sure to reflect upon your time at Pattonville and make sure to add your own take to the speech. In order to make your speech standout, try to show your own individualism rather than just being apart of a larger group.

“Try to think of events that people have possibly forgotten and think of how you can make the speech individualized.”