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Lariscy places third in Gulfstream speech contest
2.20 Gulfstream-Lariscy
Michaela Lariscy - photo by Photo provided

Michaela Lariscy, a sophomore at South Effingham High School, placed third in this year’s “Leadership” High School Speech Contest sponsored by the Gulfstream Management Association (GMA).

Lariscy, the daughter of Jeff and Kelly Lariscy of Guyton, earned a $100 award for her speech, which addressed how everyone is a leader in some capacity and should, therefore, embrace the position and provide the best leadership possible.

This was Lariscy’s first time to enter the GMA speech contest. She has, however, participated in other speech contests, including the VFW’s Voice of Democracy Speech Contest in which she has placed second for the past two years.

Winners of the GMA contest can advance to the nationwide contest sponsored by the National Management Association (NMA), the world’s largest leadership and professional development association, where they compete for a $4,000 prize.

According to the NMA, the purpose of the speech contest is to promote a better understanding of leadership among high school students. The first place winner in the GMA contest was Victoria DiNatale, a junior at Herschel V. Jenkins High School in Savannah and the second place winner was Supriya Immaneni, a freshman at Statesboro High School.

The local competition is open to students from high schools in the Coastal Empire of Georgia and the Low Country of South Carolina. GMA also sponsors an annual essay-writing contest for seventh and eighth grade students from area middle schools. Invitations will be sent to the middle schools in late March and three entries per school will be accepted.