The speech and debate team participated in an Intramural Speech Tournament, which gave students the opportunity to vocalize their perspectives in an allotted time frame inside various rooms throughout the Liberal Arts Building on Thursday from 3 to 6 p.m.

Student speakers had five different categories to choose from, and which they had signed up for prior to the tournament.

Among the categories were impromptu, persuasive, informative, comedic performance and oral interpretations.

“This allows you to share your story, open up and self-appreciate to let others relate to you,” communications major Jarell Butler said.

Speech department Chairperson Sherry Diestler said they wanted students who are usually shy and afraid of speaking in large crowds to gain confidence in a “compassionate, warm atmosphere” provided by the judges and students in the same position as them.

Student speakers receiving first place took a gold medal, second won a silver, third a bronze and fourth place received a CCC notebook, all handed out by district Police Services Chief Charles Gibson.

Diestler said after winning a medal students will be allowed to wear their award as they walk the graduation stage on May 21.

Each speaker had the opportunity to sign up for two speeches.

Retired fine and media arts professor John Diestler was judging the student speakers and said by the second round the speakers should have already made improvements because practicing a first time gives them ideas of what to say the next time.

Sherry Diestler said the judges know what it is like to feel afraid. She said many people fear public speaking and that fact encourages students to take part in any on-campus speech tournament.

Psychology major Jaquelynn Renderos said the tournament helps students to be less shy and to open up more.

There are two different types of tournaments. One is an intramural tournament like this one, which is “within the walls” of the college, while intercollegiate is “across the wall” or at another location, Diestler said.

She said taking part in the intramural speech tournament is like being in a real tournament because the speaker can choose which category he or she wants to be part of and prepare for it.