Three students from Amityville Memorial High School were selected as semifinalists in the Theodore Roosevelt Public Speaking Contest, sponsored by Long Island University. Juniors Kimberly Garcia, Darius Mobley and Keniese Pryce entered the competition as students in Jennifer Schulken’s Advanced Placement U.S. History class.

Participants had to answer the question, “Why does Theodore Roosevelt matter in the 21st Century?” The topic of the speech aligns with the A.P. curriculum which focuses on historical reasoning skills like continuity and change over time. One of the goals of the course is to get students to think like historians so they can identify the significance of a specific historical figure in a larger pattern of development. 

Kimberly, Darius and Keniese presented their speeches in class to their peers before submitting their speeches to the contest, which featured entries from students from across the nation. The top 10 finalists will be announced on April 13 and they will compete in a virtual contest on April 25.

To view the videos and vote for the students, click here.