St. Cecilia Academy juniors Stella Perazzini and Libby Gilliland took second and third place, respectively, in the Tennessee Right to Life Oratory Contest.
Perazzini’s speech was on abortion and Gilliland’s speech was on eugenic abortion. Fellow St. Cecilia juniors Madeline Kopf and Bailey Patterson also participated in the contest with Kopf presenting on euthanasia and Patterson on stem cell research.
The students’ speeches were based on a weeks-long research project they completed for their English and religion classes at St. Cecilia.
For this project – a classic part of junior year at St. Cecilia – each student had the opportunity to choose a moral, legal or cultural topic and research it in depth, examining the scientific background, ethical issues, and Church teachings related to her topic. The project culminates in a research paper and an oral presentation.
Throughout the process, students develop their ability to research and write critically and independently, as well as discovering the wealth of the Church’s teachings.
