President Karen Boyd, presented an all-day workshop on how to do effective public speaking to seven Deaf and hard of hearing youths at the Rude Recreation Center on Saturday, April 2. The youths were taught about the history of public speaking, the purpose of our audience and the speaker, the equipment used for presentations, and how to respond to the audience’s questions.

After lunch, the group played a game in which each student throws in the information they have learned from the morning session. Responses included “I liked when you taught us about the media: the difference between an actual interview and videotaping for a project,” “I learned different types of public speaking, especially the word ‘colloquy’” and “I didn’t know it’s important to work with the interpreters prior to the presentation and to provide them with the lecture notes in advance.”

In the last two hours of the workshop, the students had the opportunity to give a presentation and be evaluated by the students. One student lectured about the requirements for cosmetology licensing and another student presented the process for completing an order for printing services.