A Greene County High School student recently received some accolades and has advanced to the next level of competition.

Jefferson American Legion Post #11 Oratorical Contest Chair Barb Labate says high school senior Payton Wadsworth earned second place in the 8th District Oratorical Contest and will move onto the area competition. Labate tells Raccoon Valley Radio the American Legion Oratorical Scholarship Program is open to any high school student and encourages them to study the US Constitution and improve their public speaking skills. 

Labate points out that this is the first time in the local American Legion Post #11 history that they have had a student participate in this program and Wadsworth’s speech was “We the People.” She notes that Wadsworth won $100 at the local post level before winning an additional $500 for placing second at the district contest. The area contest takes place on January 12th and Labate adds that at each level of competition, the award money grows, with the maximum amount being a $25,000 scholarship for placing first in the national finals.