RLM Names Winner of Statewide Speech Competition

Seventeen high school students and their families gathered in Lansing Saturday, May 12, to compete in the Eighteenth Annual Right to Life of Michigan Educational Fund Oratory Contest. The teens, traveling from different cities throughout the state, had each won oratory contests put on by their local Right to Life of Michigan affiliates.

In the contest, high school students must present a five to seven minute speech concerning one of several prolife issues including abortion, euthanasia, infanticide, cloning and stem cell research.

The crowd was energized and moved as each of the teens valiantly defended their prolife beliefs. And while the judges labored over their choices, three competitors stood out above the rest. Elizabeth Glorioso, from the Mason, Lansing and Livingston Right to Life Affiliates, claimed first place while Brittany Millan, of N. Oakland Right to Life came in second, beating third place winner Janna Ingersoll, of Cheboygan Right to Life by only a couple of points.

“We are very proud of Elizabeth and of all of the participants in this year’s oratory contest,” stated Amanda Peterman, coordinator for the state contest. “The students did a wonderful job and we are looking forward to having Michigan represented at the National Right to Life Oratory Contest next month.”

Elizabeth Glorioso, currently in the 9th grade, took home the first place title, but will not be able to compete at the National level. The National Right to Life Committee Oratory rules allow for only 11th and 12th grade students to compete at their top level. Our second place winner, Brittany Milan, from Pontiac will advance to the national competition in Kansas City in June.

According to Peterman, “The judges had a tough decision in trying to rank so many well-written and well-presented speeches. We congratulate the winners who have made the prolife communities throughout Michigan quite proud!”

Right to Life of Michigan is a nonpartisan, nonsectarian, nonprofit organization of diverse and caring people united to peacefully protect the precious gift of human life from fertilization to natural death.

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