For a second straight year, Trigg County High School’s undaunted students chose to spend last week pushing themselves through “The Amazing Shake” — a dynamic Ron Clark Academy competition that rallies leaders and role models in a community to teach youth about a myriad of professional skills.
Last Thursday, three days of competitions culminated in a final live event — where administration, teachers and the student body filed into the district’s Little Theater and watched as 17 finalists answered off-the-cuff questions from News Edge News Director Alan Watts.
While all were prepared, professional, effective and engaged, only one young adult could win — and so top honors went to 15-year-old freshman Holly Britton.
Judges were discreetly scattered in the room, and were asked to grade presenters not only on their answers, but their body language, eye contact, conversational skills, attentiveness and attire — which had to be anything from business casual to business savvy.
A volleyballer and active member in both Future Farmers of America and Student Council, Britton told Watts she already has a career pathway in mind.
It’s one thing to go up against strangers in FFA speaking competitions, but Britton noted facing friends and classmates was very “stressful and challenging.”
She wasn’t even sure she was going to do the competition, but by the end found herself more comfortable and ready for extemporaneous opportunities.
The most difficult part, she said, were the serious one-on-one interviews held on Day 2.
Watts’ questionnaire, she added, felt like “a real test, and a real interview,” and she knows she won by a close shave — as scores were separated by hundredths.
So what does a competition like this do for her? Plenty.
Runner up efforts went to Anna Roeder, while third place went to Ella Chalfin, fourth place went to Connor Fitzhugh and fifth place went to Allyson Hargis.
Other finalists were Lydia Redd, Livia Breckel, Karley Johnson, Julie Dalen, Milly Reynolds, Karlee Choate, Elliott Sutton, Rosalyn Martin, Jadynce Hancock, Taryn Carter, Bella Pritchett and Joseph Ethridge. An undisclosed handful of students also opted out of the finale.
Britton’s Full Interview:
All Students Interviews:
