Bush ‘Henry Greve Speech’ Champ

If schools started teaching children at a younger age about bullying, Stephen Bush believes it would help create a safer environment. The judges agreed with his reasoning and the way he delivered his speech, rewarding the Downtown Elementary School 7th-grader with the 58th annual Henry Greve Speech Contest trophy following competition held on March 22 at the Larry E. Reider Education Center in Bakersfield. The contest topic was, “How Can We Create a Safe School Environment?”

“Student behavior must be shaped the moment the student takes his first step on campus,” Bush said. “For many its the first day of kindergarten. There will always be bullies and students must be taught how to recognize and deal with them at an early age, to speak up if they know bullying is taking place. Unfortunately, the vast majority of by-standers do not report bullying because they don’t want to be the bully’s next victim, lose friends or, most of all, be a snitch.”

Bush survived challenges at the school and regional levels to place first among the 11 most persuasive Kern County seventh and eighth-graders that made it to this year’s final. He received a trophy and a perpetual plaque, bearing his name, which will be displayed at Downtown Elementary for one year. Rosedale Middle School’s Juliann Hallum finished second, and Navdeep Kaur from Stonecreek Jr. High was third. Each had to write and deliver an original four to seven-minute speech.

Though the competition, sponsored by both Bakersfield Toastmasters Club #270 and the Kern County Superintendent of Schools Office, has been around since 1955, it was named the Henry Greve Speech Contest in1963 by the Toastmasters in memory of county speech therapist Henry Greve. Greve actively supported boys and girls oral language activities.

2012 Henry Greve Speech Contest Participants
(not by order of finish)
Andrea Bravo, Paramount Bard Academy`
Lynsey Brewer,  Norris Middle
Michael Brust, Chipman Jr. High
Stephen Bush, Downtown Elementary
Caitlinn Despot, Compton Jr. High
Paul Dykes, Washington Jr. High
Juliann Hallum, Rosedale Middle
Navdeep Kaur, Stonecreek Jr. High
Timothy Nunez, La Vina Middle
Roshini Ravi, Warren Jr. High
Andrea Uribe, McKee Middle