NPS Photo by Charles Markis

Left to right: Amit Vora, 2nd place; Lindsay Pearlman, 1st place; Nicole Fisher, 3rd place winner.

Sagamore Hill Announces Winners of the 2009 Theodore Roosevelt Association Public Speaking Contest

The annual Theodore Roosevelt Association Public Speaking Contest, sponsored by the Friends of Sagamore Hill with the support of the New York Community Bank, held the finals for the annual competition.  Of thirty-five semi-final contestants, fifteen were chosen for the finals held Thursday, April 23 at Sagamore Hill.  
    
The contest originated at the Theodore Roosevelt Birthplace in Manhattan in1925 and the Long Island competition was added in 1994.  High school students present a five minute speech from memory on Theodore Roosevelt and the speech may be positive or negative, but must be more than a biographical sketch of the life of the 26^th US President. Contestants are judged on the originality and historical accuracy of their topic as well as the skills needed for effective speaking in public. The top prize is $1,000 plus $200 Savings bond; second $750 and third place, $500.  

The competition for this year was particularly keen with an unusual number of participants who presented talks of very high caliber. The judges brought back the highest number of finalists on record.

This year’s winners were Lindsay Pearlman, First Place, Syosset HS; and Second Place, Amit Vora, Manhasset HS. Third Place went to Nicole Fisher, of Herricks HS. Ivor Parsons is the coach for Syosset HS; Noel Gish coaches for Manhasset; Jody Thompson/Michelle Kaplan are the coaches for Herricks.

Congratulations to these winners and their coaches!

Sergeant John Mateer, Superintendent Thomas Ross and Officer Kenneth Ripp.

The Fifteenth Annual Theodore Roosevelt® Award Ceremony to be held at Sagamore Hill on June 15th, 2009

The Theodore Roosevelt® Police Award is given each year to police officers who have overcome a major physical challenge or handicap, as Theodore Roosevelt triumphed over the illness of his youth; who remain on active duty; and who have rendered outstanding and praiseworthy service to their respective police departments, as Roosevelt did in his years as President of the Board of Police Commissioners of New York City.

The 2008 recipients are Nassau County Sergeant John Mateer (pictured left). and Suffolk County Officer Kenneth Ripp (pictured right). 2009 recipients will be announced shortly.