THE PINGRY RECORD COMMENTARY MAY 9, 2025
1
FOUNDED 1895 • THE NATION’S OLDEST COUNTRY DAY SCHOOL NEWSPAPER
Friday, May 9, 2025
Volume CLI — No. III
record.pingry.org
MOMENTS IN BLOOM 24’-25’ Lebow Oratorical Competition
AANVI TRIVEDI (V)
his namesake competition.
Then, Varneckas delivered
the idea that we have to chase
spent unable to speak due to
Students first competed in
his speech, “The Pingry Vision:
traditional success. When asked
selective mutism and shared
On March 5, 2025, six finalists
a preliminary round held over
Why Pingry Needs More School
about what inspired her to choose
how discovering music gave her
competed in the annual Lebow
two days, with contestants split
Spirit.” He painted a clear picture
her topic, she said, “I chose a
the courage to find her voice
Oratorical Competition, a speech
between two rooms, each with
of the ideal Pingry community,
topic that mattered to me and
through singing and speaking.
competition created by classmates
two judges. The top three speakers
complete with school spirit
hoped it would mean something
Ultimately, Swadia was declared
of Dr. Robert H. Lebow ’58 in
from each room proceeded to the
that fuels our athletes and
to others, too. I honestly never
the winner, with Guild announced
honor of his passion for public
final round, which was delivered
musicians, providing specific
could’ve imagined how warmly
as the runner-up. When asked
speaking. Lebow was a strong
in Hauser Auditorium in front of
ideas to increase school spirit.
the speech would be received—it
about her experience speaking
advocate for global healthcare
Upper School and Middle School
After a standard two-minute
truly meant so much to me.”
during the Lebow Oratorical
reform; he frequently used
students and faculty. This year’s
break for judge scoring, Chen
After Guild, Park delivered
Competition, Swadia shared,
public speaking to express his
finalists were Samaya Shah (IV),
reminded us that AI and other
his speech titled “What is
“I was very nervous at first,
opinions while traveling to
Shane Varneckas (IV), Alicia Chen
technological advances won’t
Vintage?” addressing how vintage
but once I got into the speech,
developing countries, alongside
(V), Sophia Guild (V), Jonah Park
replace artists in her speech,
clothing acts as a form of self-
the flow became more natural,
his wife, to provide medical
(V), and Shanti Swadia (IV).
“The Comfort for the Creative
expression, connecting the idea
and I stopped thinking about
services. Today, sophomores and
Shah spoke first with her speech
in a Coven of Computerization.”
of vintage to his Korean past.
everyone watching me. I was
juniors celebrate his legacy by
titled “Living in Rewind: Our
Guild spoke next with her speech
Swadia went next, delivering
able to live in the present and
presenting 4–6 minute speeches
Obsession with Nostalgia,” which
titled “How to Win the Game of
a personal story about how
enjoy delivering the speech.”
about a topic of their choosing,
explored the concept of nostalgia as
Life,” where she compared life
music changed her life, titled
Congratulations to everyone who
developing both their writing and
an invisible time machine, pulling
to the beloved board game The
“The Music That Speaks.” She
participated in the 2024–2025
public speaking skills through
us back to a comforting past.
Game of Life and challenged
opened up about the years she
Lebow Oratorical Competition!
Photo Credits: Pingry Communications