BILLINGS — Evan Cass, a student at St. Francis Catholic School, has become the first student from Billings to qualify for the Optimist International World Oratorical Championships.
The incoming freshman recently won the regional competition in Red Deer, Alberta, Canada, where he impressed judges with a speech about optimism, honesty and perspective. His performance earned him a $2,500 scholarship and a spot at the international finals, which will be held July 17 in St. Louis, Mo. If he wins, Cass could receive up to $15,000 in scholarship money.
"I told my English teacher, ‘I’m gonna win the speech contest.’ She kind of laughed and was like, ‘Okay, that’s a good goal,’" said Cass.
See Evan Cass discuss turning optimism into opportunity in the video below:
Cass is one of several students supported by six Optimist International clubs in Billings. The oratorical program encourages young people to write and deliver speeches focused on optimism — a message Cass took to heart.
"I’ve watched him grow. He just does a great job interacting with the other students, as well as his audience," said Gail Strever, the district oratorical chair.
At competitions, speeches often take on deeply personal topics, and audience reactions can be emotional.
"Sometimes you see a lot of tears shed in the audience," said Strever.
Though Cass acknowledges that he has not faced major hardships in his life, he said he wanted to speak honestly about what he has experienced and acknowledge what others may be going through.
"Maybe they had someone pass away in their life. Maybe their parents got divorced," said Cass. "For me personally, I haven’t been through many trying times before."
For Cass, the reward goes beyond scholarships or trophies. His district chair believes his work reflects a larger, often overlooked strength.
"Speaking in front of people, they say it’s one of the biggest fears," said Strever. "I think it’s the best-kept secret in Billings."
