CHS students take honors at speech competition

CHS students take honors at speech competition News Staff Wed, 05/01/2024 - 06:35 Image

• Pepper Mayfield and Riley Ball (from left) received first place in their grade divisions for their speeches at the Texas Association for Pupil Transportation in Waco on Monday, April 22. Courtesy Photo by Clifton High School

Body

On Monday, April 22, two Clifton High School students received top honors in the Texas Association for Pupil Transportation Speech Competition in Waco.

CHS senior Riley Ball placed first in the 12th Grade Division, and freshman Pepper Mayfield placed first in the 9th Grade Division and received a $600 scholarship.

The overall winner of the competition went to Riley Ball. She will present her speech at the State TAPT Conference in June where she will be awarded a $1,000 scholarship.

“Congratulations to Pepper and Riley!” Gaye Lynn Seawright, CHS English teacher, said.

This competition focused on school bus safety and is held annually in Waco at the Region 12 Education Service Center.

At this year’s event, students from all over the state competed, including students from Lubbock, Border, and Presidio.

The students had to deliver a threeto- six-minute speech by memory on the topic: “Driving Safely Into the Future.”

This annual competition is held in the classrooms beginning on the high school campuses where only one student per grade level is selected. Then, those students compete at the regional competition and those who win their divisions are advanced to compete in the statelevel competition.

About TAPT

The Texas Association for Pupil Transportation is a non-profit association with charitable and educational goals.

Formed in 1972, the association promotes safe and efficient pupil transportation; encourages the exchange of ideas and cooperation between transportation departments across the state; and works to improve pupil transportation policies, standards and equipment locally, statewide and nationally.

For more information, visit www. tapt.com.