Four students from Walnut Hills, Shroder, DePaul Cristo Rey, and Carpe Diem high schools will compete in front of hundreds of Rotarians this Thursday, in the “Four-Way Test Speech Contest” at the Hilton Netherland Plaza Hotel.

An esteemed panel of judges will select the winner, who will go on to compete in a district-wide Rotary speech contest at Wright State University in Dayton on April 10.

The topic of the student speeches is the ethical standard used by Rotarians worldwide, and how it can be applied to a personal or community issue. The four-way test recited by Rotarians at every meeting: “Is it the Truth?  Is it fair to all concerned?  Will it build goodwill and better friendships?  Will it be beneficial to all concerned?”

The Rotary Club of Cincinnati is sponsoring the contest, which takes place on Thursday, February 18, 2016, at Noon in the Hall of Mirrors at the Hilton Netherland Plaza Hotel downtown.

Each of the four high schools is partnering with the Rotary Club of Cincinnati in this effort, and will have faculty members in attendance. Students were invited to compete at their schools in the initial competition, and the winner of each school contest will represent their school at the finals this Thursday at the Hilton.

Finalists will be awarded cash prizes and certificates of commendation from Rotary. The winner, who goes on to the district competition, will compete against students from more than 30 high schools in southwest Ohio.

An esteemed panel of judges will select the winner. The panel includes: D. Lynn Myers, Ensemble Theatre Artistic Director; Eric Vosmeier, Know Theater Founder and National Underground Railroad Freedom Center consultant; Well known pastor and civil rights activist Rev. Damon Lynch, Jr.; Rotarian Mark Reckman, Wood Lamping Attorney and former Walnut Hills HS Debator; and Laure Quinlivan, Communications Consultant and former Cincinnati Council Member and Channel 9 I-Team Reporter.