Students participate in oratory competition

The Saint John Chrysostom Oratorical Festival was recently hosted for teens at the Greek Orthodox Cathedral of Birmingham. The festival is a national youth ministry that encourages teens to speak up for their faith.  

Topics ranged from protecting national resources to serving impoverished people of the world. The top two speakers in both junior and senior divisions were awarded $400 scholarships to help further their participation in church ministries.  

Senior division winners were:

First Place: Grace Kovakas, Briarwood Christian School

Second Place: Ella Pharo, Vestavia Hills High School.  

Honorable Mention: Luke Lyda, Oak Mountain High School

Junior division winners were:

First Place: Davis Deason, John Carroll Catholic High School

Second Place: Danial Alkoury, Pizitz Middle school.

Other finalists included Anna Cobb of Home School Everest Academy and Luke McCallum of Pizitz Middle School. On the elementary level was fifth grader Elian Alkoury of Vestavia Hills Elementary Central. Contributing to the festival was essayist Demi Pharo of Liberty Park Middle School.

Deason went on to place first in conference competition in Marietta, Georgia. He then represented the cathedral in diocesan competition in New Orleans, where he was declared a finalist.

Judges for the local event were teacher Georgia Hontzas, law student Stone Hendrickson and attorney D.G. Pantazis.

The Judges’ orientation session was led by attorney Dennis Pantazis. Clergy encouraging the speakers were: Dean Emeritus of the Cathedral Rev. Father Paul Costopoulos, Dean of the Cathedral Rev. Father Gregory

Edwards and Rev. Father Micah Hirschy.

Chairing the local festival event were Irene Lafakis and Alexis Pappas.

Submitted by Irene Lafakis.