12 eight grade students, elected by their peers and competitors, performed in the persuasive speaking finals in the Martin Theater. The full seventh and eighth grades, watched as the finalists presented their three minute rhetorical feats. It was the culmination  of the eighth grade persuasive speaking unit, in which students chose their own topics,  ranging from the serious to the silly, employed a variety of rhetorical appeals and strategies, and practiced their delivery skills. The Judges were: Ellen Stein, Lisa Waller, Libby Hixson, and past winners Patrick Donovan  & Aiden Slavin.  The assembly is an exciting annual event where the students literally speak their minds! Congratulations to Grace Monk, 1st place; Tyler Khilnani, 2nd place and Teja Gopal, 3rd place.