The IAA had a warm, breezy afternoon for its fifth annual Impromptu in the Garden public speaking contest on April 17. As the contestants lined up in the Community Learning Garden, mellow music and sunshine filled the air, creating a relaxed atmosphere despite the fast-moving nature of the contest.
Speakers at the Impromptu in the Garden draw a topic and deliver a sixty- to ninety-second speech, with no preparation time. This year’s contest had the theme “Green,” with questions covering topics as diverse as sustainability, agriculture, money, and envy. Speakers have to be able to think fast and be creative.
The contest participants were Luke Amato, David Anderson, Kiara Anthony, Greg Hare, Camilo Melnyk, Liza Parr, Caroline Pugh, Ethan Silberstein, Ami Thavalappil, Siddharaj Vaghela, and Yihan Zhao. The contestants were nominated by their Oral Communication teachers: Sam Rubin, JoEllen Barnhart, Chelsea Mays-Williams, and Heather McHale.
This year’s contest was sponsored by the Southern Maryland Agricultural Development Commission (SMADC). The director of SMADC, Shelby Watson-Hampton, served as one of the three judges for the contest; the other two judges were Graham Binder (director of communications for the College of Agriculture and Natural Resources) and Glori Hyman (director of the Institute of Applied Agriculture). The judges rated the clarity, creativity, delivery, and relevance of each speech and selected the top three. Each of the winners took home a basket of local goodies from Southern Maryland producers, courtesy of SMADC.
Before Watson-Hampton announced the winners, she remarked on the contestants’ talent, assuring them that their public speaking skills would stand them in good stead throughout their careers. The judges had tough decisions to make, as all of the contestants delivered compelling speeches, thinking on their feet to respond instantly to a wide-ranging set of questions.
In the end, Yihan Zhao’s insightful reflection on whether money can buy happiness took home first prize. Second place went to Caroline Pugh, who outlined her plan for eliminating single-use containers from UMD. And Ami Thavalappil earned third place for her evocative description of family reunion dinners and the value of togetherness for making a meal special.
The IAA’s faculty and staff all contributed to the event. Sam Rubin served as MC, keeping the audience entertained and moving the contest along. Rob Ballenger provided tech support for the event, with setup assistance from Ken Ingram. Congratulations to our winners and thanks to all of the contestants, who provided a great afternoon of entertainment!
