OneWorld Oratory Contestants Take on Cyber Bullies

[N'Zinga Shani]

 The New Haven Independent covered OneWorld Middle School Oratory Competition Final on Tuesday, May 20, at Worthington Hooker School. The Independent article said:

LGBT Social-Media Plea Wins Oratory Competition andother entry said

“Teen's social media plea wins speech contest.”  

On Sunday, the weekend NHI carried a link saying: “Back Off, Bullies!”

During OneWorld’s Oratory Competition Final on May 20, 2014, a 13-Year-Old from Wintergreen Magnet School Challenged Cyber Bullies to Do Better - Stop Electronically Harassing other Kids!

She is particularly concerned about what happens to children perceived to be Lesbian, Gay, Bi-sexual or Transgender.  I am sure many have read about the 16 year-old transgender teen who has been locked up in prison right here in CT although she has not been charged with a crime.

The second place winner demonstrated that - one person CAN Make A Positive Difference

She methodically explained how one person CAN make a Positive Difference and why teens should think twice about what they post on social Media because it might come back to haunt them.  

We express gratitude to:  Sheryl Hershonik (Worthington Hooker School), Susan Duran Crelin (Wintergreen Interdistrict Magnet), Lola Nathan (Davis Street),  Medria Blue-Ellis  (ESUMS), and the Pommill  family in Hamden.  Thanks also to Mr. Chaz Carmon, the Stage Arts director at Troup School, and all the Troup students who performed for the audience.  We are grateful to the teachers and the parents whose support has been invaluable. We appreciate the commitment of time and generosity of the OneWorld Board members, the judges and all those who have donated money, time and other forms of support that make our competition possible.

Special congratulations to Joseph Whiting, teacher, Wintergreen Interdistrict Magnet School (WIMS); his students won the two top prizes in OneWorld’s 2014, Middle School, Oratory Competition. The third place award of $100 went to a student from Worthington Hooker. Four other finalists received  recognition awards of $50 each; two of these students were from ESUMS and two from Hooker.

The first prize of $150 cash, and second prize of $125 cash went to two girls from WIMS.

Here is a portion of an email we received from a parent:  “Thank you so much for all your work and dedication to this (Oratory) program.  I would also like to applaud and thank Mr. Whiting, teacher and mentor at the WIMS.  He has done a wonderful job with the students over the years and ought to be recognized for his hard work, dedication and interest in the students’ success.” We agree.  We thank ALL the teachers and the parents. 

SPECIAL thanks to Sheryl Hershonik, principal at Worthington Hooker for hosting this year’s program.

http://youtu.be/IEJF1rqMf4s - Link to a 9:35 video of the top two performances.  

http://www.oneworldpi.org/home.html  OneWorld web

http://www.newhavenindependent.org/index.php/archives/entry/lgbt_so...  New Haven Independent Article

Back Off, Bullies 

Teen's social media plea wins speech contest. OneWorld Oratory Contestants Take-on-Cyber-Bullies

OneWorld has its own YouTube Channel and Facebook Page; please visit the links below.

https://www.youtube.com/user/oneworldpi/videos  - OneWorld’s YouTube – Please Visit

https://www.facebook.com/pages/OneWorld-Progressive-Institute-Inc/151551484879941