Anderson Oconee Pickens

Tri-County Students Take Four First-Place Honors at Speech Festival

CONTACT: GREG TONEY, 646-1364

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE 2/24/2004
(By Lisa Garrett)

PENDLETON --- Two Tri-County Technical College students took four first-place honors at the 2004 South Carolina Speech Communication Association College Festival held on campus this past Saturday.

Melissa Fluharty, of Anderson, captured three of those top awards in the Storytelling, After Dinner Speaking, and Prose Interpretation categories. She is an associate degree Nursing major. Melissa Holder, of Seneca, won first place in Extemporaneous Speaking and second place in Solo Acting categories. She is a University Transfer major.

Twenty-five students from Tri-County, Furman University, USC-Lancaster, USC-Aiken, and Newberry College competed. The categories included: Extemporaneous Speaking, Storytelling, Persuasive Speaking, Impromptu Speaking, After-Dinner Speaking, Prose Interpretation, Duet Acting, Solo Acting and Poetry Interpretation.

"All of our students worked very hard in preparation for the competition," said Greg Toney, Speech instructor. "To have two of our students to take first- and second-place awards in two events came as no surprise," he added. "This is the third year that Melissa Fluharty has competed with us, and she brings experience to the team. She has always done well and continues her excellent performances. Melissa Holder was new this year -- for a first-time participant to take first and second-place awards is quite a feat. Both presented dynamic performances," he said.

Tri-County will host next year's competition on January 22, 2005.
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