When you have the opportunity to let local high school students shine, it reminds you of the immense amount of talent we’re surrounded by.

We love being part of, and giving back to, our local communities. One of the business service groups that we participate in is the National Exchange Club(NEC) in Sarasota. NEC, which focuses on country, community, and children has been around for over a century.
With involvement at the local and state levels of NEC, Suncoast and Ring Authority principals Kevin Baylor and Chuck Walker have worked on many initiatives over the years, but one that sticks out is the annual Americanism Speech Contest sponsored by the Florida District Exchange Club. In this competition, students compose and present an original speech on a topic of their choice, related to Americanism.
After the state convention six years ago, Chuck was so impressed by the speeches written and presented by the high school students that he was determined to bring this competition to our area.

With the assistance of three local clubs and a handful of corporate sponsors, including AIT/RA, the first speech competition for local high school students from Manatee and Sarasota counties was held five years ago and has not only continued each year but thrives as a successful scholarship opportunity for those students. The project has been so successful that the first year our local student won second place at the state competition and since then, our local student representative has won first place at the state level each year.

While we are very happy with the recognition our local students have received individually, as a community minded company, we are extremely proud of the fact that over the past five years we’ve provided over $17,000 in college scholarships to our local students, with endless opportunities in the future.

The experience of working with these exceptional students proves there’s a bright future for generations to follow.

If you’d like to learn more about the Americanism Speech Contest, including student packets and/or sponsorship opportunities, we’d be happy to provide additional information for potential students and ways to support this worthwhile community project.