Commemorative Speech

Dad

Any man can be a father, but it takes a special person to be a dad, and it takes a very patient, caring, loving man to be the dad of six. My dad, Joel Perszyk, is the dad to six children between the ages of two and nineteen. Being the father to a nineteen year-old daughter, an eighteen-year-old son, a thirteen-year-old son, twin four-year-old daughters, and a two-year-old daughter can be pretty crazy. Usually when people hear me rattle off the number and ages of kids in my house the general response is “Wow! That’s a lot of kids. How do your parents do it?” and my response to them is, “you know, I’m not sure.” When I think about how we do it, my thoughts stream directly to dad. He is our courageous leader. He was a strong pillar during my development throughout the past nineteen years of my life. He has wiped away my tears, he has corrected me when I was wrong, and he has taught me how to show love to others by demonstrating it himself. My father is a strong, godly man, and is always there for me when I need him most. No father better illustrates the definitions of faithfulness, encouragement, and love.

Faithfulness—my dad embodies this word. My dad has always been faithful to his promises. There is not a time in my past when that I can recall my dad not following through on a promise. Growing up my dad would take me to see professional ballets at Pacific Northwest Ballet up in Seattle. He was always in the audience at school plays, and ballet recitals.  He was always cheering me on at basketball games and would give me a dollar for every hoop I would make, all because he promised. I know that I can always count on my dad to be there for me.  My dad has always been faithful in his discipline. When we are young, we are not able to comprehend a parent’s reason for discipline. It took me many years to understand why a parent would punish their child. I used to think that a parent was supposed to love their child and make them happy. With this way of thinking I found myself asking the questions how could my father spank me when I was young, how could he expect me to wash the never ending supply of dirty, crusted dishes? How could he expect me fold heaping, mountainous of laundry?  How could he take away my cell phone, and how could he keep me home on the weekends? It took me nineteen years to understand why my dad was faithful in his discipline. It took me nineteen years to realize that he was showing me love through his discipline and that he was helping me grow into a responsible, respectable woman of character that I aim to be.  When I think back at my childhood, I am so thankful that  I persevered through my dad’s strict discipline and endured the rules of the household because no it has paid off. So thank you dad. 

Encouragement—my dad gives this to me. Growing up my dad has been the number one encourager in my life. He has always been there for me, especially when I needed him most. When times of troubles come my way, my dad was the first person to drop everything to come to my rescue. My father gave me the greatest gift anyone could give another person—he believed in me. My dad taught me to never quite but to take any challenge head on, telling me “You can do it, I believe in you.” These are the words that I hear echoing throughout the crevasses of my head and these are the words that carry me through the challenges that life hurls my way. My dad has taught me to fight through the storm and finish strong. It is easy to lose heart in times of trouble, in times of desperation, or in times of fear. However, with these hard times in life my dad has taught me that you can cower in fear and in self-pity or you can stand above the chaos and shout, “I will be victorious, I will persevere, and I will fight through this storm and finish strong.” It is because of my dad, and the words that he has wrapped in colors of strength, that I am able to pull myself up out of bed on the day of a gruesome anatomy test. It is because of  his words that I will never give up on my dreams and future plans. My dad is by no means perfect, but he is amazing in my eyes and it is because of his words that I will never lose heart.

Love—my dad exemplifies this. My dad always made sure to show me love and always made an effort to make me feel special. For as long as I could remember every valentine’s day growing up my dad would pick me up from school with flowers in one hand and chocolates in the other and take me out to lunch—just so that I felt special. Unlike some people, who throw away dead flowers, I found myself keeping the assorted kaleidoscope of flowers that my dad hand-picked just for me, and I would keep them in a vase on my dresser. Even though the flowers would be dead I couldn’t give them up. To this day I still keep the flowers that my dad gives me, because to me, those flowers still contain a sweet, sweet smell. As dead and mangled as these flowers may look to others, to me they are a beautiful, continuous reminder of my dad’s unfailing love for me. They are a constant reminder to me as they sit on  my desk, and when I am having a bad day, all I have to do is look at those flowers and remember that my dad believes in me, and that’s all I need.

                My dad isn’t a famous dad, but he is our family’s courageous leader. So thank you dad! Thank you for being my strong pillar. Thank you for being my lighthouse during my troubling storms. Thank you for holding me when I needed to cry. Thank you for always keeping your promises. And thank you for always pushing me, encouraging me, and believing in me to do the unthinkable. No matter what anyways else may tell you, believe me when I say that you are the best dad I could have hoped for. So thank you.

Speech Planning Sheet for Commemorative Speech

Your name: Marissa Perszyk

Topic of your speech: Ballet

General Purpose: (informative, persuasive, inspire, entertain)

Specific purpose statement: (write this down to make sure that you have thought through your purpose. You do not say this statement in the speech)
My specific purpose is to inform and inspire my audience about:  My father—Joel Perszyk

Introduction:
Attention step: How will you hook the audience?
            I will hook my audience by telling a story.

Credibility step: (state your experience, your research or both)
            -I have personal relationship with this person for the past 19 years of my life because he is my        dad.

Central idea: one sentence (sometimes called a thesis) that sums up whole speech that you say in the introduction. It should be something like: "Today I would like to tell you about ....).
             

Today I would like to share with you what hard work and dedication looks like, what love and discipline look like, and what fun and responsibility look like.

Preview: Road map for the audience your main points.

1.      I will give examples  talk about how my dad is dedicated and a hard worker

2.      I will share stories of how my dad continually shows me love and how he used discipline.

3.      I will share vivid imagery and stories and explain how my dad is fun and responsible and how he has taught me to be the same.

Outline of Main Points:

Specific Purpose:  To inform and inspire my audience about my dad, Joel Perszyk.

Central Idea:  Today I would like to share with you what hard work and dedication looks like, what love and discipline look like, and what fun and responsibility look like.

Introduction

A.

- I will grab that attention of the audience by arousing their interest in my speech

- I will show my credibility on the topic

- I will include my three main points to preview the audience on what my speech is about

B.

- I will clearly state my topic so that the audience is able to follow

- I will also use a series of questions, a story, and maybe a quotation of I can think of a good one.

C. State Central Idea

Body:

A.

- I will make sure that my subject is organized and that my speech will be interesting to the audience and will add as much detail as I can to draw my audience in

B.

- I will present my speech in both a chronological and topical format

Conclusion:

A.

- I will refresh the memory of the audience by going using repetition and reviewing the main points of my speech

- I will close with a quote if I can think of a good one and also by visualizing the future

Informative Speech on Ballet

Your name: Marissa Perszyk

Topic of your speech: Ballet

General Purpose: (informative, persuasive, inspire, entertain)

Specific purpose statement: (write this down to make sure that you have thought through our purpose. You do not say this statement in the speech)
My specific purpose is to inform my audience about:   the history of ballet
(fill in the main idea of your speech).


Introduction:
Attention step: How will you hook the audience?
            I will hook my audience by a using a quotation

Credibility step: (state your experience, your research or both)
            -I have danced ballet for 10 years.

            - http://www.thecharlestonballet.com/educationOutreach.pdf

            - http://www.essortment.com/history-ballet-dancing-65339.html

            - http://www.tiptoedancewear.com/ballet-history/

Central idea: one sentence (sometimes called a thesis) that sums up whole speech that you say in the introduction. It should be something like: "Today I would like to tell you about ....).
            Today I would like to tell you about the history of when elegance meant passion, when beauty meant poise, and when perfection meant technique—I’d like to tell you about the history of ballet.

Preview: Road map for the audience your main points.

            1. History of ballet

            2. Ballet: Choreography

            3. Ballet slippers/point shoes and what ballerinas wear

Outline of Main Points:

Specific Purpose:  To inform my audience about the history of ballet

Central Idea:  Today I would like to tell you about the history of when elegance meant passion, when beauty meant poise, and when perfection meant technique—I’d like to tell you about the history of ballet.

Introduction

The curtain is raised, the lights flash on, and the music starts. Standing in the wings of the stage these first ten seconds are the most terrifying. My heart pounds in my chest, my stomach is filled with butterflies, and I stand preparing myself for my cue to begin dancing. Ballet is my soles passion and has shaped me into who I am today. My dancing carrier began fall of 1995 and ended spring of 2005. I have learned a lot about the art of ballet throughout my ten years of performing and even more as I did additional research for this speech. Today I would like to tell you about the history of when elegance meant passion, when beauty meant poise, and when perfection meant technique—I’d like to tell you about the history of ballet. In this speech I will talk about the history of ballet—from the begging to present day, choreography of ballet, and the attire that is worn in ballet.

(Transition: Let’s start with the history of ballet)

Body

I.                    The history of ballet dates back to the times of Kings and Queens

(Transition: Now that you know a little about the history of ballet, let’s look at the different        choreography of ballet)

II.                 The choreography of ballet is unique to different areas around the world

(Transition: Finally, let’s look at the clothing worn in ballet)

III.               The attire worn in ballet

Conclusion

I hope that now after knowing a little bit more about the history, choreography, and the attire worn in ballet that you have come to a new found respect for this art. Ballet is an expression of feeling and speaks powerfully and differently to each individual viewer. I challenge you to go out and watch a professional ballet and to really think about the emotion that the dancer is expressing through her passion and love for dance

Online Analysis of Informative Speeches: Chili Peppers & Acupuncture Speeches

Marissa Perszyk

February 16, 2011

Comm 1212

Bottom of Form

General observations:

1. What are the general purposes of each speech?

            The general purpose for the speech “The Hidden of Chili Peppers” was to inform the audience what the speaker had learned about of the history of chili peppers, why chili peppers are so spicy, what to do if one eats a chili pepper that is too spicy, and some of the different ways that chili peppers are used other than the use of adding spice to foods.

2. What would be the specific purpose for Chili Pepper speech?

The specific purpose for the speech is the statement, “Today I’d like to share with you what I’ve learned about the history of chili peppers, why they can be so spicy, what to do if you eat a too-hot pepper, and some of the ways peppers are used other than in foods.” I know that this is the specific purpose of the speech because it is a single infinitive phrase that states precisely what the speaker hopes to accomplish in the speech.

 
3. What is the Central Idea (thesis) for each speech?

The central idea for this speech is that statement “…you just took a bite of a screaming hot chili pepper.” I know that this is the central idea because it is a one sentence statement that sums up the major idea of the speech.  

4. How do the speakers catch attention?

The speaker catches the reader’s/listener’s attention by opening asking a series of questions that get the audience thinking and engaged with the speech. In doing this the speaker is drawing the reader/listener in by painting a picture of what happens to the chemistry of one’s body as they eat chili peppers.

5. How does author of Chili Peppers show credibility?

The author of the Chili Peppers speech shows credibility a number of six times throughout the speech by listening both the author AND the book title of each source. The author also shows credibility by mentioning their own experience with chili peppers which establishes their own credibility.

6. List the previews for each speech.

            The preview for the Chili Pepper speech is

1.      what I’ve learned (the speaker) about the history of chili peppers

2.      why they can be so spicy

3.      what to do if you eat a too-hot pepper

4.      and some of the ways peppers are used other than in foods

            The preview for the Acupuncture speech is

1.      the history of acupuncture

2.      the speaker’s experience with acupuncture

3.      and the medical uses for acupuncture

7. What type of organizational pattern are used for each of the speeches?

The Chili Pepper speech is more of a topical, point by point, type of speech whereas the Acupuncture speech is more of a causal speech, talking about the effects of acupuncture. I believe that the Chili Pepper speech is more of a topical speech because the author lists the main points that they will talk about and then goes through them point by point, and I believe that the Acupuncture speech is a causal speech because I fell that the author explained the reasons why acupuncture is used and how it effects the body and also the speech lists the different symptoms and causes where acupuncture could be done and how it has worked in today’s society.

8. List statistics cited in one of the speeches.

In the Acupuncture speech there is a statistic that says, “The National Institute of Health report that more than 8 million Americans have tried acupuncture, and its use throughout the rest of the Western world is growing fast.” There is also another statistic in the Acupuncture speech that says, “The World health Organization lists more than 40 conditions that can be effectively treated with acupuncture, including ear, nose and throat ailments.” These statistics that are given help support the speech a lot by proving to the audience that you as a speaker did the research and know the facts of what you are talking about.

9. List Authorities cited or quoted in one of the speeches.

The sources that the author of the Chili Peppers speech used to support their statements are The Cambridge World History of Food, Carolyn Dille and Susan Delsinger, authors of the book The Chili Pepper Book, P.W. Bosland author of the book Spices, Herbs, and Edible Fungi, Dave DeWitt in the Chili Pepper Encyclopedia, The New York Times, and author Jack Challem of The Nutrition Reporter. These six sources are all used properly and appropriately throughout the speech and add enough support to the statements to make them believable.   

10. What stories or narratives does the author of Acupuncture speech tell to illustrate their ideas?

The author of the Acupuncture speech opens her speech by sharing a personal story about her grandmother’s fight with severe arthritis and how her doctor suggested acupuncture. Then after the author explains the success story that acupuncture had on her grandmother’s life, the author explains that they too have a personal experience with acupuncture and how it has helped take away the migraine headaches they would get.

11. Consider both speeches. First give one example of a transition between two main ideas in one speech. Second, give one example of a transition in the second speech. In other words, what do the authors say to smoothly go from one point to a new point?

The authors in the two speeches both have really good transitions. The author of the Chili Peppers speech does a really good transition by saying, “Now that we know a little bit about the history of chili peppers, let’s see why they can put such a fire in our belly.” This is a wonderful transition because the author has made it very clear that they are switching topics by stating what they had just talked about and what they will talk about next. The author in the Acupuncture speech uses transitions by saying for example, “Now that you know what happens when you’re treated by an acupuncturist, you’re probably wondering how acupuncture works.” The author of this speech is doing basically the same type of transition but words it differently.   

12. Compare and contrast the conclusions of the speeches. How are they alike and how do they differ?

 The conclusions of the speeches are similar in the sense that they both reinforce their central idea and summarize what they spoke about in the order that the points were present. However they are different in that the author of the acupuncture speech closes with a direct reference back to the grandmother that was discussed in the introduction of the speech. Also the author of the Acupuncture speech opens her conclusion with the phrase, “Today we have looked at…” and the other of the Chili Peppers speech opens her conclusion with the phrase, “In closing…”

Evaluative Comments:

3. How do the author's build credibility?

The others of both of the authors do a very good job on building credibility and supporting their work properly. Both of the authors build credibility by listing both the author and the title of the work before they present their information. Both of the authors also do a good job, especially the author of the Acupuncture speech, on creating credibility through them by explaining to the audience their involvement with the topic.

4. Choose one of the two speeches: What impresses you about the speech?

Personally I would have to say that the Chili Peppers speech impressed me the most. I may be bias on the speech because I love spicy food, but I feel like that the author did a wonderful job at coming up with four, good, solid points and did an even better job giving a simple, yet precise answer. The author to this speech did a good job researching up on their topic and presenting their information well. The speech was easy to follow and it was very interesting to read.

Extra Credit: Chinese National Debate Team

Marissa Perszyk

February 7, 2011

Comm. 1212

Extra Credit

Chinese National Debate Team

I attended the impromptu debate /speech meeting that was held Thursday, February 3^rd, in room HSC 102 from 3:30-4:30. I am glad that I took time to attend this event because I am beginning to feel more confident in my own speaking capabilities by watching others. The event was very relaxed and was even entertaining. The floor was open up to anybody who desired to speak. A total of seven people spoke. Our guests, The Chinese Debate Team, had three members (one boy and two girls) and a coach (who was also a woman), but only the two girls had the urge to speak. Even our President, Dr. Castleberry spoke! Each person that chose to speak had 2-4mins to give an impromptu speech on a random topic were given. Kay, the first Chinese student that went, was the winner of the event. She spoke about Chinese food vs. American food. She was very confident and both her poise and her language that she used. She was also very funny in the way that she described “American Chinese food.” Another thing that I noticed is that she incorporated some funny personal stories into her two minute speech. In doing this she was able to draw the audience in (at least me anyway). James is a Northwest student and I think that he did a wonderful job in delivering a concise, funny speech. His topic was “Roommates from hell.” With this topic he was able to make his speech delivery very personal which made his speech that much more interesting to listen to. He also did a good job at projecting his voice and making good eye contact with the audience. Lastly, as I mentioned earlier, Joe Castleberry also got the courage to deliver a speech, his topic was “ghosts I would like to meet.” With his speech, Dr. Castleberry had a lot of good, solid facts to support his point and also gave examples of what he was talking about. He talked to us about how he would like to meet the ghost of Gorge Washington. Even if you had no idea who George Washington was, after listening to Dr. Castleberry talk for a couple minutes you would know because he did a very good job at educating his audience. He also used repetition in his wording which helped engrave in me the main points of his speech. He also shared a joke that got a good laugh out of the audience, which is a wonderful way to engage your audience. He also used his hands to help the audience further visualize what he was talking about.

All in all, I am glad that I took the time to attend this event. I feel like by attending these events, I am able to further build confidence and also further understand the correct way to deliver a speech. My goal by attending these events is to become a better public speaker by learning from those who do it best.