Senior Movisha Servai is leaving her mark on KHS. Servai recently earned the title of sectional champion in the prose category. This qualified her for the state meet for the second straight year.
Servai finished sixth in Prose at the Indiana State Speech Meet. She competed with the piece “The Boy in the Striped Pajamas” by John Boyne.
“My goals at the beginning of the speech season were to go to more meets, receive as much feedback as I could from my judges and use that feedback to improve. I wanted to use the feedback and experience that I would gain to perform better at future meets,” Servai said. “After using this approach, I was pleased with the results.There were multiple meets where I ended up in the top six, and placing first at Sectionals was a major victory for me. It made me realize that all the time I was spending perfecting my piece was paying off.”
For Servai, understanding that expectations may not always be reality, was a tough lesson.
“The hardest part of participating in speech is understanding that you will be up against some tough competition. It's really easy to feel discouraged, especially if you feel that your piece is not good enough,” she said. “At meets, you will see competitors perform pieces with all sorts of topics, ranging from lighthearted to mature. The important thing is to trust yourself and understand that there will always be room for improvement.”
Even though it can be tough, Servai still finds some comfort in performing.
“I love both performing and public speaking, and the speech team was an opportunity for me to perform in front of an audience. For me, there's something comforting about performing in front of others and having their full attention,” Servai said. “The idea of having everyone watching me while I perform is amazing, and I love that the speech team gives me this opportunity.”
After graduation, Servai plans to attend IU Kokomo to double major in business and marketing and minor in biology. She hopes to go on to IU Medical School to be an obstetrician-gynecologist. Being a part of the speech team is something that will serve Servai no matter what her future holds.
“If anyone is ever undecided about whether or not they should join the speech team, I believe that they should try. There are many different event options, ranging from informative to interpretive, which can accommodate both analytical thinkers and performers alike,” she said. “The speech team is also a great way to improve communication skills, which are essential for any future career aspirations.”