Frederick Douglass Academy holds 1st Annual Oratorical Contest

Frederick Douglass Academy located at 616 Kiest BLVD in Dallas held their first oratorical contest on Thursday. Students grade Pre K-3 through 4th grade competed in 7 age groups and the winners received trophies.

Ms. Sheila Gaskins (oratorical contest coordinator) served as moderator for the competition. After she opened the program, Isaiah Williams presented a welcome. Participants were judged in five categories – Posture, Projection, Expression, Memorization, and Originality.

There were 24 participants in the contest. The following students were winners in their grade levels.

Pre K3 – Alleyah Turner (Just Too Smart)

Pre K4 – Tonya Kirk (Little Soul Sister)

Kinder A – Marcus Johnson (The Black Child Pledge)

Kinder B- Isaiah Williams (That’s my boy ya’ll!!! – excerpt from I’ve Been to the Mountaintop)

1st Grade – Dylan Freeman (Excerpts from I Have a Dream)

2nd Grade – Destini Murray (Harriet Tubman)

3rd Grade – Carrington Stephens (Black is Beautiful)

4th Grade – Rodney Jackson (excerpt from I Have a Dream)

Ms. Donna Bailey, Mrs. Dwala Brown, Mrs. Debra Peek-Haynes, Mrs. Billie Henderson, Mrs. Teresa Wash, and yours truly served as judges.