At the last meeting, we had our annual Rotary Music Contest with three students from Ponderosa High School competing. This year’s theme for our Rotary speech contest:
"The “Magic of Rotary” is dedicated to Rotary International’s seven causes -- Promoting Peace; Fighting Disease; Providing clean water, sanitation, and hygiene; Saving mothers and children; Supporting Education; Growing local economies; and Protecting the environment -- How have you or how will you ‘Work YOUR Magic’ in your own community in one or more of the seven areas that Rotary supports?"
Three speakers from Pondo's Speech and Debate program, coached by Brock Dyer, composed well-researched, but impassioned speeches they delivered with feeling. The first-place finisher 
was Ansley, who plans to become a pre-med student at UC Davis (or UC Berkeley if she is accepted) and talked about her experience volunteering at a clinic that provided psychological therapy. Second place was won by Griseld who plans to pursue political science as part of a pre-law curriculum: She spoke about her volunteer efforts to support: homeless, veterans and families and the elderly, and her experience at the Rotary Youth Leadership Conference. Third place was Noelle, who plans to major in poli-sci at a community college as preparation to move on to (hopefully) UCLA or UCB. She spoke about her support for undocumented migrants. They are pictured from left: Dave Sargent: Griseld, Noelle, Ansley and Brock Dyer. Our members gave them a rousing applause at the conclusion of the talks.
was Ansley, who plans to become a pre-med student at UC Davis (or UC Berkeley if she is accepted) and talked about her experience volunteering at a clinic that provided psychological therapy. Second place was won by Griseld who plans to pursue political science as part of a pre-law curriculum: She spoke about her volunteer efforts to support: homeless, veterans and families and the elderly, and her experience at the Rotary Youth Leadership Conference. Third place was Noelle, who plans to major in poli-sci at a community college as preparation to move on to (hopefully) UCLA or UCB. She spoke about her support for undocumented migrants. They are pictured from left: Dave Sargent: Griseld, Noelle, Ansley and Brock Dyer. Our members gave them a rousing applause at the conclusion of the talks.