Revere students in sophomore through senior year can improve their public speaking and self-evaluation skills by enrolling in the school’s Speech class.

During the school year, any student has the opportunity to improve their presentation and public speaking skills by enrolling in Joe Susick’s speech class. Susick noted that he approaches teaching his speech class the same as he does his other classes.

“I try to teach it the same way as much as I can but that is difficult considering the class. I ask the same things of my speech students as I do my English and drama students, full effort. If you apply yourself to my class and you come away with learning a couple things, I have done my job. My speech class is the most relevant I think. Nobody will ask you about a participle phrase in the real world, but you will be asked to present to others. It is a class that you could start using yesterday,” Susick said.

During this class, students have a speech assignment called the “I Am” speech. Susick can walk up to a student at anytime during a several week period and say the phrase “It’s time” and right there, on the spot, the student must deliver their “I Am” speech.

“The ‘I Am’ speech is a speech where you talk about what you think your strengths are as a person and basically why you are the greatest person. But also it is to help students give learn how to give impromptu speeches and sometimes conquer their fears of speaking in front of others,” Susick said.

During the pep rally before the Copley basketball game, Susick stole the microphone and found speech student Andrew Boyazis in the crowd. He immediately told him it was time to present his “I Am” speech. Boyazis walked down the gymnasium bleachers and delivered his speech. By the end, he had nearly all eight-hundred students and staff laughing and clapping. From this assignment and class as a whole, Boyazis learned that public speaking is never going away and that he will need it the rest of his life.

“There really isn’t a profession anymore where you won’t need to be able to speak in front of others, it’s just something you need to be good at. Mr. Susick helped me get ready for my future job,” Boyazis said.

Lydia Noll believes that Susick’s speech class has helped her get over her fear of presenting to a large number of people.

“I came into the class with a very big fear of public speaking and even though I am not fully over my fear, I think I have improved greatly. After every speech, you receive honest feedback from your classmates, so I got to hear what people thought without sugar coating it. I feel more comfortable talking in front of a big crowd of people,” Noll said.

Upcoming sophomores, juniors, and seniors can sign up now by talking with a guidance counselor. Students can talk to Susick for more details about the course.