speech, please, speech

I went to a speech meet today

   It's always interesting to travel to a different high school for a tournament.
   We are fortunate to have our high school.  I say fortunate and not lucky, because luck had nothing to do with it.  Diligence, perseverance, creative thinking  and foresight did.
   Anyway, it was interesting.
First off, an announcement was made that one of the events was being moved from one science room to another due to a chemical spill.  I don't know if they were joking or not.
   Ever go into a factory or construction site and see the signs that say "13 days without an accident?"  This school had a sign that read "3 days without violence."  3 days.    Yikes.
   There was a huge crowd, and a diverse crowd.  I judged several events and each event had a person wearing a head scarf.  It got me wondering how many local kids actually know someone who is Muslim? This may have been their first encounter with a religious group that seems to be a hate target.  Maybe meeting people of different beliefs and talking to them would be a way to lessen that hatred and fear.
   I was judging an event where the speaker presents an informative speech of 8 minutes by memory.  As soon as the first speaker started, we heard blood curdling screams coming from the room behind us.  My first thought was changing that 3 to 0, but it turned out to be humorous duets performing.  Loudly.
The speakers did a great job tuning out the noise, but I found it very distracting.
    I think the rooms were built with cinder blocks......to bad they could not have filled them with insulation or a sound deadening material.  I wondered if the teachers can hear each other.
    It would be funny if a student in world history started hearing a Spanish lesson and really became confused about donde este in 1776.
    We also had an improvisational speaking.  The speakers get to pick a prompt, then prepare a 6 minute speech based on the prompt.
    The choices were one on how we should learn to not take life so seriously, and not sweat the small stuff; how work and effort are the keys to success, and  a third one about hope from FDR.
    I think they should have 3 quotes from our current president at the next meet.
Kids could pick the topic "You're fired."  Or "Nasty woman."  Or possibly, "It's going to be great."
   Now that could be entertaining.