At the recent Blair County FFA Speech Career Development Events (CDE), students from the Tyrone Area FFA Chapter showcased their public speaking talent.

Out of the eight competitors, an impressive six Tyrone FFA students advanced to the next round, excelling in five different speech categories.

One notable event was the FFA creed speaking competition, designated for freshmen or first-year members. Participants had to recite the FFA creed from memory and respond to related questions.

Tyrone’s Cassidy Fleck secured 2nd place and John Eaken claimed 6th in Blair County.

In the junior and senior prepared categories, students undertook research and delivered speeches ranging from 3-5 minutes (junior) to 6-8 minutes (senior).

Tyrone’s Frances Weaver and Reilly Rawling stood out in the junior prepared category, earning 2nd and 3rd place respectively. Nora Hoy distinguished herself in senior prepared speeches, capturing 2nd place, while Remington Weaver excelled in conservation, clinching 1st place.

Maverick Fleck and Wyatt Walls garnered attention in the Extemporaneous category, where members selected a topic blindly and had 30 minutes to prepare a 4-6 minute speech. Judges followed with a five-minute question session. Fleck secured 1st place, with Walls following in 4th.

At the subsequent Bedford, Blair, and Fulton County Area Competition, Reilly Rawlings took 2nd place with Frances Weaver close behind in 3rd. Maverick Fleck contended for the top spot. Nora Hoy claimed 4th place and will serve as the alternate for the area.

Remington Weaver once again dominated her category. Cassiday Fleck delivered an impressive presentation and secured 6th place.

Looking ahead, Remington, Frances, Reilly, and Maverick have guaranteed spots in the upcoming South Central Regional competition on April 17, 2024.