QUICK FACTS

Date: March 20, 2011

Time: 9:30 AM - 12:30 PM

Place: Social Hall (finished in Conference Room)

Total No. of Speakers: 17

Results: See below.

Congratulations to our students who participated in our parish Oratorical Festival and delivered speeches!

They are all winners!

JUNIOR DIVISION SPEAKERS (Grades 6 & 7-9)

[Legend: Speaker Order No., Speaker Name, Topic No.]

6th Grade: (in preparation for next year):

1. Emily Roopas - (T1: St. Nicholas)

2. Athina Res - (T1: St. Markela)

7th Grade: 3 out of 4 students delivered speeches:

1. Jackie Stokes - (Topic 5)

2. Athena Chapekis - (Topic 4) (Finalist)

3. Frank Bairactaris - (Topic 2)

8th Grade: 6 out of 7 students delivered speeches:

4. Angelos G Bairactaris - (Topic 3)

5. Angelos D Bairactaris - (T1: St. Photios the Great)

6. Juliana Patselas - (Topic 3)

8. Anastasia Gibson - (Topic 5)

9. Stephen Philippou - (Topic 3)

10. Christina Panagoulia-Triantafillopoulos - (Topic 4)

9th Grade: one out of 8 students delivered a speech:

7. Alyssa Roopas - (Topic 4)

TOPICS: JUNIOR DIVISION (Grades 7-9)

1. In the Orthodox Church, saints and their icons are presented as examples to be imitated. Discuss one saint who has become an example in your life.

2. In St. John’s Gospel, Philip invites Nathanael to “Come and see” (John 1:46). What would you want someone to experience in his or her first visit to an Orthodox Christian parish?

3. In the Sermon on the Mount, the Lord says, “Blessed are the peacemakers” (Matthew 5:9). What does it mean to be a peacemaker in an age of violence, terrorism, and war?

4. Discuss the spiritual discipline of fasting in light of our age of increasing obesity. How does fasting compare with diets that have the purpose of achieving “model” appearance?

5. Clean water is a precious commodity that is becoming even scarcer in many parts of the world. It also features prominently in many Bible stories. Discuss the importance of water as a symbol and in Orthodox liturgical life.

SENIOR DIVISION SPEAKERS (Grades 10-12)

[Legend: Speaker Order No., Speaker Name (Alphabetical), Topic No.]

10th Grade: 5 out of 10 students delivered speeches:

1. Lee Petropoulos - (Topic 1)

2. Christopher Mitropoulos-Rundus - (Topic 4)

3. Robert Hays - (Topic 3)

4. Erica Theros - (Topic 1)

5. Yan Theros - (Topic 1) (Finalist)

TOPICS: SENIOR DIVISION (Grades 10-12)

1. In the past few years, the issue of bullying—including cyberbullying—has been in the news. How should a Christian respond to the problem, especially in light of Jesus’ teaching to turn the other cheek (Matthew 5:39)?

2. St. Paul encouraged the Christians in Ephesus to “grow up” (Ephesians 4:13–15). What is Christian maturity, and how does one become a mature Christian?

3. Discuss what it means to be a member of the Body of Christ (1 Corinthians 12:12–26) in our age of extreme individualism and independence.

4. What are the most attractive points that Orthodox Christianity offers to teenagers today, and how can we use them to bring young people to the Church?

5. St. Basil the Great wrote, “Wealth left idle is of no use to anyone, but put to use and exchanged it becomes fruitful and beneficial for the public” (I Will Tear Down My Barns, ch. 5). Explore this statement in light of the financial insecurity of the last few years and of modern financial practices in general.

SPECIAL THANKS

Vicki Kiningham - Oratorical Festival Chair

Peter Balios - Judge

Vassilios Lambropoulos - Judge

Cleopatra Mihalopoulos - Judge

Tony Mihalopoulos - Room management

Nick Chapekis, Jr - Timekeeper

Pam Petropoulos - Speaker order

Stacey Garris - Hospitality

Steve Garris - Photography and Video

Greg Theros - Podium

Photios G. Ioannou - Church School Director

Rev. Fr. Nick Kotsis - Proistamenos