It is not everyday that one meets someone who is confident, mature, and exceedingly intelligent. The new Speech Team at our high school has recently uncovered one of Walpole High School’s hidden gems with all these characteristics. Through his intense and humorous reading voice, sophomore Adam Finkle has caused many heads to turn to witness his intense vocabulary and witty humour. So far this year, the team has been to three tournaments, with another around the corner on March 3. Finkle has been leading the team closer and closer to the top and he hopes to bring his team all the way with him through the next competition.
Ms. Emily Loflin, English teacher at the high school and the Speech Team Advisor, enjoys having Finkle in class, as well as on her team. When asked to describe Finkle, she said, “He’s animated and he’s not shy.” In order to be on the Speech Team, Ms. Loflin said, “You have to be able to come out of your shell, have confidence, and not be afraid of being silly.” Finkle has proved that he has all of these qualities, which helps explain his excellent verbal skills, verbal excellence, great poise, and natural stage presence. His skills are carried over to English class too, according to Ms. Loflin. She said, “He is not much different than when at Speech Team. Adam still brings excitement and humor to the class by reading in different and original ways. He really immerses himself in the part.” The students also enjoy Finkle in their class because he provides a humorous twist to reading Literature. “I like making people laugh,” Finkle said.
When asked about his decision to join the Speech team this year, he said, “I use weird voices in class, and I thought I should be more serious about it, so I poured it into the Speech Team. I have a good vocal range and it looks better to debate in front of people instead of behind a computer.” Besides being involved in Speech Team, Finkle has had people watching him through student elections, his involvement in last year’s spirit day competitions, and the robotics team. Still, speech seems to be his greatest strength.
Finkle has said that he believes that Speech Team is about finding raw talent, as well as an exquisite addition to his college resume. At the past competition, Finkle made it to the final round and placed third in Novice Reading, which is better known as Children’s Literature. In order to excell, Finkle explains that one must memorize as much as he or she can to impress the judges. He takes his skits and magazines home in order to be completely prepared, and sticks to his weekly visits to Ms. Loflin for her feedback and constructive criticism. For debates against other people, though, Finkle goes above and beyond expectations. He researches information on the argument fully and precisely online. This way he can consciously choose a side, and therefore hope to astonish and more easily persuade his audience.
As for his future, Finkle is keeping his options open. Currently he is taking an honors level Chemistry class. So, in his life after school, he hopes to pursue his love for science and potentially be a striving scientist. Because of his mother’s occupation as a doctor and his scientific interests, Finkle wishes to chase his dream of being either a physicist or a biologist, or even hopes to potentially study space or medicine. It seems probable that Finkle has a huge road of success ahead of him. He knows his possibilities are endless, so his eyes are wide open. When asked about himself in ten years, Finkle said, “I’ll probably be trying to find work… [after high school]. I’ll be blinking into the sunlight and saying ‘woah.’”
