CAMARILLO : Awards Wind Up 10th Speech Contest

More than 500 students from across the Pleasant Valley School District in Camarillo were awarded trophies or certificates for their participation in a district-wide speech tournament held at Los Altos Intermediate School.

Marilyn Bjork, the district’s speech coordinator, said the students, who ranged from fourth through sixth grades, were judged by a panel of junior high and high school student judges during the 10th annual running of the three-day event, which concluded Wednesday. Speaking competition categories included storytelling, team speaking and expository speaking.

“We had a great competition this year. The student judges told me that picking the winners was very tough,” Bjork said. “However, the real goal behind this event is the confidence that we see instilled in the kids.”

Fourth-grade first-place winners included Barbara Jean Kane of Las Colinas School and Kimberly Bell of Valle Lindo School, who shared a first-place tie in storytelling; Melissa Bozeman and Michelle Mast of Bedford Open School won first place in the team competition, and Christopher Mastrovito of Los Primeros Structured School won first place in the expository competition.

Fifth-grade first-place winners were: Courtney Yoder of Las Colinas School in storytelling; Tiffany Lynch and Stephanie Jacobs of Camarillo Heights School in team competition, and Christopher Lee of Los Primeros Structured School in expository speaking.

Sixth-grade winners included: Bryan Cardella of Camarillo Heights School for storytelling; Jamie Dipoma and Erik Anderson of Santa Rosa School for the team competition, and Hank Florence of Camarillo Heights School in the expository competition.

Student competitors from Las Colinas School won the competition’s overall sweepstakes award, Bjork said.