Personal Narrative: 100-Student Mock Trial

I used dread the discomfort that arose from public speaking and avoided every class presentation, which to my frustration, resulted in missing exciting opportunities. During my sophomore year of high school, I chose to take a speech class to embrace speaking opportunities instead of shying away from them. The first few days of class were nerve-racking, but steadily I gained more skill and confidence in my speaking abilities. Towards the close of sophomore year, I stepped into a leadership role, despite my previous anxieties. In a 100-student mock trial, I confidently presented the opening and closing statements for the defense.