La Mesa Teen Wins Oratory Championships

La Mesa--Seventeen-year-old La Mesa resident, Jeremiah Osborn, won the Original Oratory championships at the Martin Luther King, Jr. Invitational Speech and Debate Tournament in Union City, California on Sunday. The tournament is the most competitive in the Western United States and is attended by over 1,800 competitors from 91 high schools, including schools from Colorado, Wyoming, and Mississippi.

Jeremiah, a junior at Helix Charter High School, specializes in Original Oratory and emphasizes first impressions and stereotypes in his speech. When asked about his future plans Jeremiah said, “As a Native American, I hope to utilize my public speaking skills to advocate for the Navajo Nation and inspire its young people. Currently, over 50% of Native Americans drop out of high school, and as many as 93% never graduate from college. My hope is to not only graduate from college, but to inspire other American Indians that they too can achieve their dreams.”

Jeremiah’s outstanding performance in Union City qualifies him to compete at the National Individual Events Tournament of Champions in San Antonio, Texas in May.