the SIMPSON'S

A few weeks ago, my Communications Professor suggested that I enter a speech festival. He told me that there was no time to think it through, I had to sign up right that minute and if I didn’t follow through that I would fail the course, but if I made it to the finals I would get an automatic “A”. It’s not that I’m not grateful for a good grade, but I’ve pretty much been a straight “A” student my whole life. So why then, you may ask, did I sign up to give a public speech, competing with 300 other hopefuls? Well… it just sounded good… my Professor enticed me with words like… “shiny trophy.”

I gave a 9 minute speech called “Make me a Match,” convincing everyone that more marriages should be arranged. (That’s why I’m wearing a veil in the picture. By the way did you know that traditionally brides wore a veil to keep the groom from running away before they said their vows?.. It’s true!)

I was very surprised when I was called to be a finalist… but when they began calling all the runners up after three rounds of competition, I thought it was a mistake that my name wasn’t read….then they called “3rd place….2nd place…and finally, the 1st place winner of the 2008 college Speech Festival,… Rachel Simpson.” I don’t know if I’ve ever gotten first place in anything before, so excuse me for a moment while I bask in my glory! As I was brushing my teeth tonight I realized that all those hundreds of people there to compete, all the professors, the department head, and all the judges, they were all there to find the best speaker…they were there to find me!