Panama City, Panama…[Victor Caballero/IAD Staff]
A 16-year-old Adventist won first place in Panama’s 2007 National Speech Competition sponsored by Cable and Wireless last month. Israel Romero, a junior in high school, beat nine of his peers representing the country's provinces in the nationally televised event on Sep. 11. He won several prizes.
’s 2007 National Speech Competition sponsored by Cable and Wireless last month. Israel Romero, a junior in high school, beat nine of his peers representing the country's provinces in the nationally televised event on Sep. 11. He won several prizes.
Finalists were asked to prepare their speeches on the impact of wireless telephone and the internet on the economic and social development of Panama. They were judged on the content of their speech, diction, voice projection and innovation.
During the event, first lady Viviana Fernandez de Torrijos and the Minister of Education as well as officials from Cable and Wireless in Panama congratulated and encouraged all finalists to continue harvesting triumphs in their future professional careers.
Romero, whose father pastors a church in Bocas del Toro in Isla Colon (or Colon Island) in the northwestern coast of Panama, told the local media that he got really excited and was sure he could win the competition. Romero had won a previous poetry competition in the province of Colon which prompted his principal to show him the flier to register for the event.
Dozens of Romero’s friends and church leaders of the local Adventist mission office cheered Romero during the competition and celebrated his victory at the event.
Among Romero's prizes were a check for US $5,000, a computer, free internet service for one year, a cellular phone, and a full university/college scholarship. In addition, his school received a check for US $10,000.
