Having the skills necessary to express yourself clearly, concisely and persuasively are talents that can take years to develop. Troy High School junior Rachel Martin can claim success already. On Sunday, April 10th, Martin was named the winner of Rotary District 6670’s annual Four-Way Test Speech Contest held at Wright State University’s Millett Hall. Her speech focused on stopping bullying in schools and how it relates to Rotary International’s Four-Way Test of (1) Is it the truth; (2) Is it fair to all concerned; (3) Will it build goodwill and better friendships; and (4) Will it be beneficial to all concerned? With this win, Martin earned a cash prize of $400.

To qualify for the Rotary contest, Martin had to write and memorize a four-to-six minute speech that addresses the questions of the Four-Way Test. She was named the winner of the annual Troy Rotary Club’s contest on March 14th, earning $250 and the slot in the district competition. Now that she’s won at district, Martin is invited to present her speech at the District Conference on April 30th at the Cincinnati Marriott Northeast, 9664 S. Mason Montgomery Road, Mason, Ohio at 9:30 AM. She will receive her winnings at that time.

Martin has had a busy year already. In addition to winning the speech contest on the 10th, Martin was named People’s Choice Winner at the 2016 Strawberry Festival Queen Contest on April 9th. Earlier in the year, Martin won both the school and district contests for the Voice of Democracy with her “My Vision for America” audio essay. She then placed sixth at the state level. She’s not taking any time off. Her summer plans include Buckeye Girls State in June followed by Miss Teen USA pageant in August. Rotarians wish her all the best with each opportunity.

Along with sponsoring the Four-Way Test Speech Contest every year, Troy Rotarians and the Troy Rotary Foundation support several community projects annually. In 2014-15, more than $16,000 in scholarships and community aid was distributed from the fund, including the annual Shoe Project, Troy After Prom, scholarships, and sponsorships to summer camps at Brukner Nature Center and Waco Air Museum. The Troy Rotary Club is a member-involved, goal-oriented service club focused on socio/economic issues that have an impact both locally and internationally. Follow their activities on Facebook at Troy Rotary Club. To learn more about Rotary and membership, please visit www.troyohiorotary.org.