EDMOND—Eight student speakers calmed their nerves and delivered funny, factual, inspirational and emotional speeches on February 17 at the 12th annual Herbert W. Armstrong College speech banquet. Instructors from the college’s oratory program selected the evening’s speakers from a group of 24 who had auditioned the previous week.

Dressed in formal attire, students and faculty arrived at the John Amos Field House dining hall in the early evening. Toastmaster and freshman speech instructor Harley Breth opened the program by talking about how God is patiently growing character in His people through institutions like hwac. He then introduced the first of the speakers for the evening.

Senior and student body president Christopher Eames led off with humorous “Lessons From an Aerosol Can.” With his sophisticated New Zealand accent, carefully crafted phrases, and a big smile, Eames explained his harrowing mishap with a supposedly empty can of pepper spray, which he thought would provide his face with a cool burst of relief on a hot workday on the dig site in Jerusalem. From this laughable experience, he learned that there are no quick fixes in life.

With a pleasant tone and positive demeanor, sophomore Elyssia Lancaster taught the audience to be mindful of “The Little Things” through a story of her encounter with a grumpy toll booth operator in downtown Oklahoma City. Through their good manners on that day, Lancaster and her date impressed the scraggly-haired, irritable operator so much that he waived their $5 parking fee.

Sophomore Samuel Livingston followed Lancaster’s speech with an informative message and slideshow presentation on biomimicry, the science of solving human engineering problems using nature as the model. He described a cactus-shaped office building in Qatar, “The Gherkin” skyscraper in London, and the East Gate Center in Zimbabwe, which mimic a cactus, a Venus flower basket sponge, and termite mounds, respectively. Yet, Livingston pointed out, biomimicry scientists refuse to admit that they are “Learning From the Master Architect.”

“Watch and Learn,” junior Anthony Chibarirwe admonished his audience. He reminisced on his arrival on campus two years ago after a long flight from his native Zimbabwe. Because of his roommate’s sterling example, Chibarirwe said he learned to actively seek positive examples in others by being humble, making the effort, and separating positive traits from negative ones.

Freshman Paris Turgeon opened her heart and shared a touching tribute to her grandmother, the late Philadelphia Church of God first lady Barbara Flurry, in “Her Legacy.” Besides Turgeon’s clear, resolute tone, the sounds of students and faculty struggling to choke back tears could be heard occasionally. Sophomore speech instructor Wik Heerma placed a portrait of Mrs. Flurry next to the lectern soon after Turgeon began speaking of her grandmother’s generosity and sacrifice for God’s family, which was her family too.

Junior Kyle Tremblay spoke of a miracle God performed for him when he needed “A Helping Hand.” While working on an archaeological excavation under Dr. Eilat Mazar last summer, Tremblay suffered a serious cut on his hand, causing it to swell and lose capability. His skillful mix of humor and depth drove home a powerful lesson of learning to have faith in God’s healing, which allowed him to continue work onsite without a problem.

Senior Bailey Crawford built on Tremblay’s inspirational message with one of his own. He told of his teenage years as a “Pentecostal religious fanatic” who tried to save his stepdad—who had listened to the late Herbert W. Armstrong for 30 years—from what he thought was paganism. Instead, God worked in “Mysterious Ways,” bringing them together and working a series of miracles to direct them to the pcg.

To close the evening, senior James Brandon delivered a moving speech about his grandfather, the late columnist, hwac instructor and patriarch Ron Fraser. Through obvious sincerity and thoughtful pauses, Brandon reflected on the good times spent with his grandfather and shared “The Greatest Lesson He Taught Me,” a lesson of faith and focus on God’s Work despite serious health trials.

Afterward, guests congratulated the speakers as students took class photos. Breth returned to the front of the elegant room to thank sophomores Kiall Lorenz, Brooke Davis and the rest of their class for organizing and hosting the event, then proposed a toast that everyone continue to grow the way God the Father pleases.