Projo 7 to 7 News Blog

Four judges will choose a first, second and third place speaker based on content, insight and delivery of the speech. The winner will receive $100. Second and third place students will receive $25 gift certificates to Gregg's Restaurant.

The contest asked juniors and seniors to respond to the question -- using any circumstance they deem appropriate whether it be personal, political, social and otherwise -- while keeping in mind an Abraham Lincoln inaugural quote about the issue. Lincoln said, "We are not enemies, but friends. We must not be enemies. Though passion may have strained, it must not break our bonds of affection."

Using affirmative action as her subject, senior Emily Barron wrote, "...When people refuse to find common ground, the public is not adequately served. Neither side is satisfied, and neither side comes out ahead. It causes discontent between people in the workplace as well as in the college admissions process. The qualified businessman or the anxious college student who has worked hard and is deserving, loses a chance for promotion, or admission due to their lack of ethnicity. It is important to insure that while the intention of affirmative action is to include potentially deserving people, that equally deserving people are not denied at the same time."

She continued, " Both sides make strong arguments defending their views, and as a result it is difficult to find a common ground. I do believe that much of the dispute is based on people's bias and prejudice. Until all people are truly equal, there will always be some element of bias. However, the reality that all people will be completely equal is highly improbable...."