Booc's 'citizenship' wins over Greve judges

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Henry Greve Speech Contest winner Mardelano Booc poses with both the perpetual and winner's trophies.

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Henry Greve Speech Contest finalists (from left ) third place-Kelsey Brewer, second place-Prutha Mehta and first place-Mardelano Booc pose with Bakersfield Toastmasters Club #270 Master of Ceremonies Sara Tetreault

Almond Tree Middle School student Mardelano Booc had done well in oral language festivals and science fairs, but had never placed in a county final. In fact Booc had never made it to a county final until March 27, when his moving speech, peppered with humor and sorrow, changed all that, earning Booc first place honors in the 54th annual Kern County Henry Greve Speech Contest. The theme was "What it Means to be a Citizen of the United States in 2008." Booc focused on the sacrifices his family has made to become citizens -- traveling hundreds of miles, sometimes skipping work and school, to attend citizenship classes in Fresno.

The annual competition between seventh and eighth-graders, hosted by the Kern County Superintendent of Schools at University Square in Bakersfield, has always been sponsored by Bakersfield Toastmasters Club #204, which also does the judging.

Booc used a lot of humor, smiling and joking about what wonderful things being a citizen has allowed him to do. He said his light, easy and animated delivery was influenced by TV comedians Hugh Laurie and John C. McGinley, who portray doctors on sitcoms "House" and "Scrubs."

When Booc talked about his cousin, a Purple Heart recipient who suffered five serious wounds to his body while fighting in Iraq, he grew very serious. Booc said he asked his cousin once why he would want to be a soldier, knowing he could be injured, the cousin replied, "Sacrificing my life for my country is one of the best decisions I’ve made so far."

"It was hard for me, when I got to that point in the speech, but I had to keep my composure. I do get intense when I think about it," Booc said.

Warren Jr. High School student Prutha Mehta, who finished second, said her father gave up 25 years of professional training and stability to move his family from India to America and how it had cost the family all they had saved to reside here. When she asked him why, her father told Mehta, "Because being in America offers you the greatest opportunity to succeed." Mehta also told the audience, "the most wonderful thing about being a citizen is the right to a free, quality education with a plethora of colleges and universities to choose from, too."

Third place finisher Kelsey Brewer, a student at Norris Middle School, startled everyone, opening her speech by saying, "Being a citizen of the United States in 2008 means being hated all over the world." She asked how we could judge other countries’ cultures without experiencing those cultures. Brewer asked the audience to look at racism and prejudice in America and go back to the principles that founded this country to find answers. She ended her speech by saying, "Even though you might not agree with what I have said, I still have the freedom to say it, and that is the greatest thing about being a citizen of the United States in 2008."

All 10 contestants had to deliver an original four to seven-minute speech they had written. They successfully survived challenges at the school, district and regional levels to reach the Greve final and received certificates of appreciation. Booc, Mehta and Brewer were awarded trophies. Booc was also presented with the perpetual plaque, which will bear his name and be on display at Almond Tree Middle School for one year.

Though the competition has been around since 1955, it was named the Henry Greve Speech Contest in 1963 by the Toastmasters in memory of county speech therapist Henry Greve. Greve actively supported boys and girls oral language activities.

2008 Henry Greve Speech Contestants

(Not by order of finish)

Mardelano Booc, Almond Tree Middle School
Molly Chandler, Freedom Middle School
Gabriela Cuevas, Sequoia Middle School
Drake Floyd, Chipman Jr. High School
Prutha Mehta, Warren Jr. High School
Chasidy Miles, Fairfax Middle School
Betty Ruiz, Lakeside School
Kerry Saltvick, Sequoia Middle School
Kelsey Brewer, Norris Middle School
Seth Wasylyszyn, Actis Jr. High School


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