Earlier this month, Accent On Business hosted ten home-schooled teenagers for a public speaking practice and evaluation session. The teens, who go by the name Franklin Homeschool Group, included a mix of sophomores, juniors and seniors – three boys and seven girls – who hail from various churches in the Franklin, IN area. These young people presented speeches on some weighty and very timely topics. One student championed Dr. King and his fight to end racial oppression as a role model for overcoming current trends in marginalization of at-risk populations such as the elderly, unborn and disabled; another spoke about choosing gratitude over excess. And one young lady spoke about the difficult subject of self-abuse among ‘tweens and teens.
One thing was clear in listening to these young men and women deliver each of their 8-10 minute speeches: they were passionate about their subjects and they had a true desire to present them to the best of their ability!
The group spent about two hours here in our Carmel offices. We were amazed at their enthusiasm and rapt attention during their session. As each took the “stage” to give his or her speech and then received commentary and suggestions from our staff, the others took notes and gleaned ideas and tips for themselves. This reminded us that being a good public speaker also involves being a good listener – something many of us tend to forget.
After the final speaker took her turn we spent a few minutes on general comments, then the group thanked us heartily and headed out for their hour-long drive back home.
The entire Accent On Business staff agreed that these students showed tremendous effort in putting their speeches together, practicing them and learning how to effectively present them. It was truly an honor and a great pleasure to be a part, however small, of the education of these young men and women. We applauded their hard work and encouraged them to continue polishing their public speaking and presentation skills, as both are important to professional success.
Do you know a teen, college student or group of young people who may benefit from public speaking and presentation skills coaching? Consider helping them take the next step toward becoming a confident, effective communicator. Contact our office today to learn more about our one-on-one and group sessions – for students of any age!
