We all know FDR's famous quote, "The only thing we have to fear is fear itself," taken from his first inaugural address during the 1932 Presidential Election. He must have known what he was talking about because fear is the one thing that holds most people back from establishing their true potential; it is the one reason that most people don't take the chance and do those things that would truly define who they are. Fear is a hard thing to overcome. One of America's biggest fears is public speaking. Getting in front of that crowd and speaking is such a big fear that most people have or nearly have a panic attack just thinking about it. Do you know what Oral Interp members do each and every time they speak? They overcome this fear; they have conquered this fear. In fact, they do public speaking for fun!

It is amazing how, as we get further into the season, the student's speaking abilities get so much better. Looking back at the first practice, or even competition, and comparing that to the way the students are now speaking and performing is amazing. It goes to show that practice does pay off.

Sioux Falls Lincoln hosted their annual Stars and Stripes Oral Interp Contest on October 13th. This is one of the biggest, most competitive meets that the Wagner Oral Interp students compete at. There was competition from the classes in AA, A, and B. With so many different schools representing each class, it was a great contest for the kids to see other performances in many different categories of competition.

Wagner performed amazingly. There were three preliminary rounds of competition followed by semi-finals and finals. Wagner's Reader Theater advanced to the finals and took home 4th place; this included Kallen Kafka, Michelle Soukup, Mackenzie Roberts, Ciara Nelson, Michaela Kokes, and Rose Eitemiller. Maggie Barnett advanced to the semi-finals in both Poetry and Drama. She received 10th in Poetry and 9th in Drama. Ciara Nelson advanced to finals in her Non-Original Oratory receiving 5th place. The team, overall, was awarded The Second place trophy for the Class A Team Sweepstakes award. Wagner could not have asked for a better day.