SHEPHERDSTOWN, W.Va. - Jefferson County Schools congratulates William Stacpoole, a freshman Air Force Junior ROTC at Jefferson High School, on being named the winner of the 2022 Four-Way Speech Contest sponsored by the Rotary Club of Shepherdstown. JHS students Alma Cedillo and Lillian Riner received second and third place, respectively. The competition took place on March 22 at Shepherdstown's Bavarian Inn.
Mr. Stacpoole's speech focused on Horatius, a legendary Roman army officer who defended a bridge against an invading army in the 6th Century BC. A freshman JROTC at Jefferson High, he is homeschooled academically.
Ms. Cedillo, a JHS junior, is vice president of the school's Rotary-sponsored Interact Club. Her speech focused on the local and national impacts of teacher shortages.
Ms. Riner is also a freshman Air Force Junior ROTC at JHS. She presented a speech about commitment.
Aimed at encouraging high ethical standards among young people, the Four-Way Speech Contest is an annual competition that invites area high school students to present original speeches analyzing a topic of their choice from the perspective of Rotary's core principles. Those principles subject every action to the following four-question test:
- Is it the truth?
- Is it fair to all concerned?
- Will it build goodwill and better friendships?
- Will it be beneficial to all concerned?
Pictured above (from l.): Alma Cedillo, Jefferson High School Principal Mrs. Mary Beth Group, William Stacpoole, Shepherdstown Rotarians Cara Keys and John Loeffler, and Lillian Riner