The Roseville Optimist Club sponsored their annual Oratorical contest on Jan. 17. The competitors prepared five minute speeches on the topic “How my best brings out the best in others.” The competitors were Roseville middle and high school students. Zack Peters, a sophomore at RHS won the first place prize this year. He will compete in March against other districts, and then against other students from other states later in the year.

Peters made a unique approach to his speech. He elaborated about using his personal techniques on his social media. He reaches out to people who are going through hardships in their personal lives and tries to give them advice and helps them see the best in their future.

“My main goal is to bring the best in others. If you have the opportunity and make something good out of it,” Peters said. He was not expecting to win.

“I went fourth and I was really nervous when I walked up there but I shook off the jitters and just remembered that there’s always another chance next year and the next few years to come. I performed and it went great. I was beyond shocked when I won because the other contestants were really good,” Peters said.

He would like to thank English and speech teacher Sue Kosinski for teaching him how to perform in front of an audience, and taking the time give him tips on his speech.

“Your mind is a garden, your thoughts are the seeds, you can grow flowers, or you can grow weeds” Peters said.