Speech on the stock market nets a tournament spotSpeech team co-captain, Julia Cain’s speech on “taming the bear and the bull: the importance of a sound financial strategy” earned her a spot at the National Forensic League’s (NFL) National Tournament this June. Julia is one of 10 Milton Academy students competing in this year’s National Tournament in Atlanta, GA.

To compete in the NFL’s National Tournament, students qualify through tournament competition in a specific speech or debate event. However, the Lincoln Financial group, sponsors a video contest each year in which the first and second place winners qualify for the Nationals in expository speaking (expos); an "expos" is a five-minute memorized informative speech.

The Lincoln Financial Group asked competitors to speak on "taming the bear and the bull: the importance of a sound financial strategy." Julia researched the topic and wrote a speech about the current retirement and social security situation and the importance of saving for retirement.
“I explained how investment in the stock market and retirement plans such as 401(k)s work, so the speech mostly serious,” explained Julia, “ but I did open by telling the Greek myth of Chiron, the man who would only row people into the land of the dead if their relatives had left a gold coin under their tongue—that part was funny.”

Julia spent several days writing and memorizing her speech and then met with speech coach Jenny McNeil to tape it. Julia not only won a spot at the National tournament, but a $2,000 scholarship. Julia attended NFL Nationals last year in Original Oratory.