Stonington Student a Finalist in Rotary Speech Contest

Stonington High School student Destiny Hartmann is one of three high school students from southern Connecticut to advance to the final round of the annual Rotary Club Four-Way Test speech contest.

Each year, high school students compete in the contest, which requires students to pick a topic and evaluate it using the Rotary’s Four-Way test:

• Is it the truth?
• Is it fair to all concerned?
• Will it build goodwill and better friendship?
• Will it be beneficial to all concerned?

Hartmann’s speech was on whether schools should establish and promote anti-bullying programs. She along with five other students in Sandra LaCombe’s public speaking course at the high school delivered their speeches to the Mystic Rotary Club in December. Hartmann was the winner of that contest and advanced to the semi-finals, which took place, on March 3 at Fairfield University.

Nine students, including, Hartmann, from high schools in southern Connecticut participated in that round that of the contest. Hartmann, along with Kimberley Codding of Ledyard High School and Mike Holtz of Staples High School in Westport, Conn., were selected to advance to the statewide finals.

At the finals in April, students will compete for prizes that include $500, $400, and $300.

Hartmann said she was nervous about giving the speech at first but after delivering it several times she wasn’t nervous anymore. In the fall, Hartmann will attend Eastern Connecticut University where she will study accounting.

“It will definitely be useful,” she said of taking the course.

The course is an elective and LaCombe said about 15 students normally take the class each year.

"I’m so thankful for the rotary. I’ve noticed that their public speaking abilities improve when they get in front of strangers,” LaCombe said.

This is the first year an SHS student has advanced to the final round.