Letters from the 2009-2010
Student speaker MD-4 Final Contest Winner
and Each Area Contest Winner
Miles Witthaus - Contest Winner, Area Two Winner
(No statement received)
Sadia Saifuddin – Area One Winner
“Never in a million years did I think that I would get to the state level of the Lion’s Club Student Speakers Contest. I would read the booklet and be amazed by the thousands of dollars that the Student Speakers Foundation has given as scholarships, but I had no inkling that I would be one of their recipients. So you can imagine my surprise when I made it this far! I had been competing in the Lions Club Student Speakers Contest since my freshman year in high school, so I had an idea of the community service that the Lions do around the world. What I did not expect was the encouragement and support I received from not only my sponsoring Lions Club, the Delta Lions, but the entire Lions community in general. They were there at every contest to cheer me on and I know that I couldn’t have made it that far without their support. I have never met more caring people in my life and the work that the Lions do comes from the heart. They do not work because they feel that they have to; rather, they are involved in their community because they have a desire to make a change around them. I’m happy to say that they have played a major role in sending me to college. Thanks to the Foundation scholarship, I am able to attend UC Berkeley, a dream that I have had since I was a child. I would like to thank every single Lion that played a role in changing my life, and it is my sincere hope that one day, I can pay it forward and do the same.”
Jasmine Alva – Area Three Winner
“Life is full of those “Who would’ve thought. . .” moments. Well, my experience in the Lions Club Student Speakers Contest is definitely one of those moments. Who would’ve thought that in January of 2010 when I walked into my A.P. U.S. History classroom and my teacher, Mr. Pitkin, handed me the Lions Club pamphlet, that I would be one of the four Area Winners competing at the state final in Stockton later in June? Who would’ve thought that I would receive so much support and encouragement by the amazing members of the Visalia Sunset Lions Club? And who would’ve thought that I would grow so much as a student, speaker and as a person over the past several months. Certainly not me, but I am so thankful and happy that I got the chance to experience it all. I remember participating in the Club Level and being so nervous because I didn’t know what to expect, how I would do, who I was competing against and how many people were going to be there watching the competition. At that point in the competition, I didn’t even have to have my speech memorized. Looking back it seems sort of funny because now I have that speech in my head so much that sometimes I hear catchphrases and words from my speech when I watch television or listen to the news. It always makes me smile and think back to my speech and my journey throughout this competition. This was my first year competing in the Lions Club Student Speakers Contest and it has been one of the most memorable experiences of my life so far. I had an incredible time competing against some great student speakers, meeting many Lion Club members at each level and giving my speech to the best of my abilities every time I presented it. This experience will have a strong effect on my life on so many levels for years to come and I am truly grateful. I want to thank the Student Speakers Foundation for the scholarships and all of the people who have supported me during this competition and I am very excited to compete in next year’s Student Speakers Contest."
Yujia Pan – Area Four Winner
“To be a part of the Student Speakers Contest is both an incredible opportunity and an eye-opening experience. This journey started six (6) months ago, when I first found the courage to speak on universal healthcare, a highly political subject that had recently become one of the most important issues in the nation. Since then, my communication skills have improved and my passion for public speaking has grown.
Although the contest is over, the courage I have gained is still with me. But I am not the only one who has been touched by the support and generosity of the Lions. Each year, the Lions give countless of high school students across California the same opportunity to find their voice and to discover the courage they hold within themselves. As our world faces new problems, this courage will prove to be valuable in climbing the challenges that lie ahead.
I owe many thanks to the Lions Club for giving me the chance to grow. At every level of the contest, I felt the support of kind Lions who encouraged me to do my very best. This encouragement and the spirit of the Lions has inspired me to be courageous, not only before an audience, but in life. It’s not everyday that someone has an experience like the Student Speakers Contest, and I am very grateful for the things I’ve learned, the wonderful Lions I’ve met, the scholarships I have received from the Foundation, and the people that have so generously taken the time to listen. One day, I hope that I will be able to perpetuate the same spirit and generosity that I have gained from this unforgettable experience.”