Nagisa Smalheiser Wins Rotary Speech Contest

Nagisa Smalheiser, a sophomore at Pleasanton’s Amador High School, has won Pleasanton North Rotary Club’s Youth Speech Contest.

Smalheiser’s five-minute speech was judged the best of three presentations Jan. 2 at the Rotary chapter’s weekly meeting at Handles GastroPub, Pleasanton.

The speeches addressed the theme of “Light Up Rotary,” the theme selected by Rotary International Gary C.K. Huang to guide his administration. They also included references to the principles of the Rotary International Four-Way Test that guide the organization’ community service commitment.

Smalheiser used the Four-Way Test to identify shortcomings in the truth, fairness, goodwill and benefits derived from the mistreatment of animals, and she described projects she recently organized to act on her concerns.

“It is important to take the initiative to make a difference,” she said. “Everyone should try to light a candle to light up the world.”

Smalheiser was awarded $100 and qualified to compete in area finals of the Rotary District 5170’s Richard D. King Annual Youth Speech contest in Livermore. Regional and district competition will follow.

Laura Klein, a Foothill junior and Rotary International exchange student from Germany, and Foothill sophomore Kimberly Szeto were awarded $50 and $25, respectively, for their second and third place finishes.

Kevin Greenlee, Pleasanton North Rotary Club’s youth services coordinator, chaired the local competition. Jim Brice, principal consultant with Tri-Valley Public Relations, Susan Dupree, PhD, a clinical psychologist in Dublin, and Lara Golden, global community director with Callidus Cloud, Pleasanton, judged the competition.

CAPTION – Nagisa Smalheiser (center), a sophomore at Amador High School, Pleasanton, is the 2015 winner of the Pleasanton North Rotary Club’s Youth Speech Contest. She is shown with second place winner Laura Klein (left), a Foothill High junior and Rotary International exchange student from Germany, and third place finalist Kimberly Szeto, a Foothill High sophomore. Club officials Dave Cherry (left) and Kevin Greenlee (right) presented the awards.

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