Public speaking, especially in competition, is not the most popular extra-curricular activity at East Noble High School, but students who participate say the experience boosts their self-confidence and prepares them for life's challenges.

"I was scared to join at first but now I'm glad I did because I've learned so much about myself and everyone involved is fun to be with," said East Noble senior Trinity Blake.

She is a member of East Noble's speech team. Since East Noble opened in 1966, the high school has had a speech team affiliated with the Indiana High School Forensics Association. Forensics is the term some schools use to identify the activity.

Like other competitive activities at the school, speech team has a coach, English and theater teacher Alan Mettert, an assistant coach Keith Bradtmiller, a schedule of meets against speech teams from other schools, sectionals and state finals. The team practices after school for weekend competition. On Jan. 23 East Noble participated in the DeKalb Invitational with 26 other schools.

East Noble will host its own speech meet on Saturday, Feb. 13, with 14 other schools.

The 14 students on the East Noble team have 16 speech categories to specialize in when competing, according to Mettert. "All categories are unique," he said. Most events require a 5-10 minute presentation. Some are memorized and some are scripted.

Poise, diction, eye contact and connecting with the audience are among the criteria judges look for when scoring a student's speech. "There are several nuances of different events. Poetry and prose are technically reading events so students have small binders with their pieces," said Mettert.

At a speech meet competitors for their events assemble in classrooms with the judges and give their presentations. The public is invited, and parents often attend meets.

Blake, a four-year member of East Noble's speech team, participates in broadcasting and duo interpretation. "I joined speech as a freshman because I thought about a career in radio, but now I'd like to go to college to be a special education teacher or social worker. Speech is (a) rush," she said.

Senior Lauren Damerell, also a four-year speech team member, competes in original performance. She wrote a piece about her younger sister called "My Best Friend, My Sister" and gives a 7-minute presentation. "Lauren won at DeKalb and has been placing in the top three or four at all our meets so far," said Mettert.

Freshman Amanda Leaders was third at the DeKalb meet in dramatic interpretation with her piece "Adam's Story." Freshman Brenda Pita-Hernandez finished second and third in individual rounds at DeKalb in poetry, and sophomore Megan Lung has scored well with her dramatic piece "Reunion," according to Mettert.

"Everyone on the team is improving every week we compete," he said. Mettert credited assistant coach Keith Bradtmiller with helping the team prepare for competition. Bradtmiller, an aerospace engineer at C & A Tool in Churubusco, volunteers his time to assist Mettert and judge at competitions.

After Saturday's meet here, the speech team competes at Columbia City on Feb. 20, then at Garrett on Feb. 28, before the sectionals at Fort Wayne North Side on March 6.