Submitted Photo Issiah Velez represents DHS at public speaking contest.

Mrs. Donna Pucciarelli, instructor of the DHS/JCC College Connections Public Speaking class, announced that Issiah Velez represented Dunkirk High School at the 6th Annual JCC Public Speaking Contest.

The contest was held at Jamestown Community College’s Jamestown Campus on April 25. A total of 40 DHS public speaking students attended the contest on a field trip to support Issiah as he competed in the event.

Contestants from other high schools from across Chautauqua County were represented in the contest, as well. Each participant was required to deliver a four to five-minute informative formal speech on the topic: What unites or divides us? Define “us” and consider the question from a cultural, global, or generational perspective.

Issiah chose to focus his speech on his perspective of empathy dividing us. His speech was emotional and inspirational. Rules and guidelines for the speech contest included having three verbal citations, meeting a required time limit with points deducted for time infractions, and the use of a microphone.

After the formal speeches, each contestant was then required to participate in an impromptu speaking portion of the competition. Each contestant had to speak extemporaneously for one minute on a topic selected in a random drawing.