U.S. Embassy Judges a Public Speaking Competition for High School Students

On February 23, 2016, Political/Economic Deputy Chief Diane M. Kohn joined the judges’ panel for “Let’s Debate 2016,” a public speaking competition for high school students at the Senieji Trakai  A. Stelmachovskio Basic School.  She was invited to help to determine the winners among 11 participants representing various Trakai Region schools.The competition participants discussed nuclear power options, alcoholism, bee/pollinator endangerment and the refugee crisis in the EU, just to name a few issues – all in English.  The embassy representative was deeply impressed by the participants’ English language skills and the depth of the topics they touched. “What an impressive group of kids!  Congratulations to Robert Čečiot (Lentvario H. Senkevičiaus gimnazija), Augustinas Janutaitis (Trakų Vytauto Didžiojo gimnazija), Gabrielė Lizunaitė (Rūdiškių gimnazija), and Mindaugas Kondrotas (Trakų Vytauto Didžiojo gimnazija), for their award-winning performances!” the diplomat congratulated the winners.