Oratorical Contest 

Winners!

May 13, 2006

from left to right:  Patricia Murphy, Margaret Perkins, Herminio Betances, Abby Vanderhoof

Congratulations to ALL of our winners... from the local contests as well as the state contest.  We are so proud of your accomplishments!  Thank you for your willingness to be a voice that is right when the world is wrong.  May this be just the beginning...

4th Place: 

Herminio Betances is a 17-year-old senior from Cardinal Spellman High School in the Bronx, involved in many activities in and out of school.  He is the president of the Pro-Life Club at school.  He is also a Befriender, a special group of students trained to talk to people who are post abortive or those affected by abortion.  Herminio has attended the March for Life for several years.  He has been part of the Latin American Club, the Chess Club, the Cardinal’s Players; they put on musicals every year.  Herminio is part of a college preparatory program known as I-LEAD (Institute for Leadership Excellence and Academic Development).  He will attend NYU with the hope of becoming an Oncologist.  When he was 12, he was diagnosed with Burkett’s Lymphoma, a cancerous tumor.  After surviving chemotherapy, he had a new appreciation for life and vowed to try to show others the TRUE VALUE of life.

3rd Place:

Patricia Murphy is an 18-year-old senior from Valley Stream, Long Island.  She has attended Kellenberg Memorial High School since seventh grade.  Patricia is the President of Kellenberg’s Catholic League Student Chapter as well as Captain of Speech and Debate, Distribution Editor for the school newspaper, Editor for the Yearbook, a member of Sodality and her high school drama club, is first stand in her high school orchestra where she plays the cello, and an avid member of XLT.  She annually attends the March for Life in Washington, D.C. and has a strong passion for pro-life work. Patricia volunteers at Queen of Peace, a local home run by Sisters of the Poor and at various events for the Franciscan Friars of the Renewal.  She enjoys bike riding, reading, and spending time with her friends.  Patricia will attend the Franciscan University of Steubenville on a scholarship in the fall where she will study Adolescent Education in Chemistry and Theology. She has been registered in the Honors Program at FUS.

2nd Place:

Margaret Perkins is a senior from Schenectady Christian School.  She is an active member of the local chapter of Students for Life and is very involved in her community.  She was awarded the Congressional Award Gold Medal which required over 1000 hours of personal development, physical fitness, public service and an exploration venture activity.  Margaret is active in varsity sports and school activities.  She is a volunteer at the Alpha Pregnancy Care Center.  Margaret loves to volunteer, read and travel.  She and her family have traveled to 48 continental states over the course of a few years.  Margaret intends to enroll in college in the Fall and plans to major in Communications.

1st Place:

Abby Vanderhoof is an 18-year-old from the town of Verona.  She is a senior from Holy Cross Academy in                 Oneida.  Abby is a leader of the girl’s Christian group in her school.  She is active in drama and sports programs.  Abby is involved in her parish and attends many pro-life events.  She teaches gymnastics to younger children at a dance studio and will be a NYS lifeguard at a State park this summer. Abby enjoys reading, running and spending time with family and friends. In the fall, she will be attending Creighton University in Omaha, Nebraska where she will study nursing and be a member of the Air Force ROTC program.