To be transferred from one world to another with the simplicity of words flowing through one’s mouth is no simple task.

They must be eloquent; they must be eager; they must be passionate.

However, the 10th-grade speakers of FHC Inspires make this difficult illusion look like child’s play. I was captivated from the moment that Reagan Larson took the stage with her engaging TED Talk about her name. From then on, my eyes were drawn away from the stage only to jot down notes about every fascinating facet of this wonderful production.

This year marks the fourth annual FHC Inspires, which will take place May 30 at the Fine Arts Center at 7:00 p.m. with free admissions. There, 22 of FHC’s most articulate sophomores will speak on topics that they are truly passionate about. This event is highly anticipated every single year, and with good reason. I was able to attend their full rehearsal of the show, and I can tell that these speakers have put an incredulous amount of effort into making these speeches perfect.

The show would have never been possible without the help of the student directors—sophomores Eshana Kaur, Heather Ringel, and Kylie Doubler—who do far more than what any common audience member may realize. From decorations to microphones to reaching out to sponsors, these three have been able to put together a production that will end with everyone in awe.

It doesn’t take much to know that these speakers have poured every ounce of their dedication into making these speeches absolutely flawless. One of the showstoppers is Alex Dixon with an incredible speech on leadership. He puts everyone in the audience in a trance as he guides them through the traits of every good leader. Thereafter, Aiden Platt delivers a deceiving yet clever introduction, which then transitions into a well thought-out speech that had all who were watching him cheering and clapping.

Alex Fletcher touches on a topic that finally got the light shed on it that was deserved. And, to top it off, her kind and happy personality was beaming through her speech and shone on the audience. Izzie Scholler makes the audience feel welcomed as she speaks about an incredibly relatable thing that occurs in everyone’s daily lives. 

This year at FHC inspires, some of the speakers took a different approach to their TED Talks. Cari Shaffer, Anneke Anglin, and Rowan Szpieg are all performing a piece of original poetry about something that holds a special place in their hearts. They were truly beautiful to listen to and absolutely breathtaking. They all spoke with such passion and confidence that I could not take my eyes off of them. These three students have such a wonderful gift, and I loved watching them share it with everyone else.

The entire show was an hour and a half long, but the time went by quickly as I was sent into a trance while watching the speakers hypnotize the audience. It was evident that every single person, speakers and non-speakers alike, has put an incredible amount of time into making this show memorable. Every year, FHC Inspires brings together some of the best public speakers in the school to change the lives of the audience members. With this upcoming show, I am positive that they will achieve this once again.