Hello my name is Samantha, I am fifteen years old and I am in the eleventh grade. Today I am here to speak to all of you about my experiences as a Rotary 4 way speech contestant and a former Rylarian, but first I would like to tell you about myself before I moved to Oregon.

I was born on July 23rd, 1999 in Fallen, NV. I am the youngest of four daughters. My mother and father got divorced before I was born, and had one other daughter together before me, but after the divorce my father received custody of my older sister. When I was five my mother was married to a man named Shiel. He made a couple of years feel like a couple of decades. My mother worked nights and wasn't home very often, but he was. Shiel abused my two sisters and I mentally, physically, and emotionally. He kept the fridge and cabinets locked, and only fed us when our mother was home. We tried telling our mother about what was happening, but she refused to believe it.

The last night we spent with Shiel was the night we had enough of the things he did to our mother. He tried to hit my mother, but my two older sisters interfered. My eldest sister got thrown into a large stereo speaker and the other one flew across the room. Luckily, our neighbor across the street already had ideas about the abuse, and that night they happened to hear some yelling and called social services.

My eldest sister Lynsey got sent to a juvenile facility, whereas my other sister Susannah and I were taken to a facility called Kids Cottage. We lived there for about five months and then our grandparents got temporary custody of all of us. Our mother left Shiel and started to work on rebuilding a relationship with my sisters and I.

Slowly, but surely, things got bad again, my sister Lynsey moved out with her boyfriend and Susannah devolved deeper into drugs and alcohol. Susannah always got into fights with my mother and I. She hated me because I always got in her way, I was a tattle tale. I told my mother every time my sister planned on doing something she shouldn't do. If only she knew I did this because I cared about her, even when she didn't return the favor.
Susannah was a playing factor that ruined my childhood. I had to act like a mother to my own mother because of what she did. My mother cried and blamed herself every time my sister ran away and didn't come back. I always comforted my mother and told that everything was going to be alright, that Susannah would come back. Except I didn't care to tell her that when Susannah did come back, she wasn't going to stay. Between the abuse and running away Susannah made my childhood difficult, but it wasn't all of her fault.

Growing up, school was hard. I wrote a paper about it in a college class this last summer. It was entitled, “Sometimes You Have to Expect the Unexpected.” I wrote about how when I was younger, I had a get away. My get away was school. I loved school, it was my get away because it was a place I could go to for five days a week and just get away. Eventually, that changed. I started getting bullied. It started when I was seven, but when I reached fourth grade I was no longer just bullied by the students.

The unexpected happened, and I started getting bullied by my teacher. Her favorite thing to do was during the “special” time she had during class reserved just for me. She had me stand in front of the classroom for about fifteen minutes and gave extra credit to anyone who did anything to hurt me. I told my mother about it three weeks later. We went to the principal and told her what was going on. Only to find out she was friends with my teacher and refused to believe what I told her. The bullying didn't get much better from there.

When I began middle school I wanted friends more than anything, I didn't understand why people didn't want to be friends with me. I began to think something was wrong with myself. Was it how I looked? Did I not wear the right clothes? Was I too nice or too mean? Was I too loud, or too quiet? Was I too fat? Did I do too good in school? Did I seem like a goody two shoes? I would ask myself the question, “What is wrong with you?” almost everyday. I began to believe that if I changed the person I am, people might like me better. But by doing that it only made me not like myself. So, what was more important, the acceptance from others or the acceptance from myself? In the end I was selfish, and chose myself. I didn't like the things people told me I had to do in order to earn their friendship. That's not what friendship was suppose to be like. It wasn't supposed to be, fake. I should never have to change anything about myself just for the mere acceptance from a few people. I would rather be who I am, than be someone I know I am not.

About two and a half years ago my mother lost touch with reality. In other words she went crazy. It got so bad that one time she forgot who I was. The short story about it is that she went crazy and talked about the world ending, and how she wanted to be with her family. So we drove from Reno, NV to Klamath Falls, OR to see my aunt and grandparents. They called the police on my mother, and I ended up living with my grandparents for about two weeks. Then, my mother was released from a mental facility in Bend because her diagnosis was unknown. The night she came back I realized I wouldn't be safe if I went back home with her. I had to choose, once again, between what was better for myself or for my mother. I realized that by choosing what was better for myself would also be better for her. With me gone she could focus on fixing her life, and I can focus on fixing mine.

I ended up in foster care since I refused to go with my mother. I went through three foster homes in three months. In the first home I learned that truth and friendship are very important. That foster children should be worth more than the money the government supplies for them. In the second foster home I learned that not all foster homes are good ones. I knew that was true, but I didn't truly understand until I experienced it for myself. In the third foster home I learned that things can be good.

While I was living in my third foster home my father received temporary custody of me. I moved in with my father Ralph, my sister Ashley, and my step mom Fatima on Saturday, March 16th, 2013. That weekend my sister and I went through her yearbooks and she showed me who all of   her friends and teachers were at school. She even told me about Rotary and Interact and what they stood for. She really wanted me to join Interact and I told her I'd try it out. I started school with my sister that following Monday, and attended my first Interact meeting that Wednesday. I didn't know what to think at first, but I began to really enjoy Interact.

About a year later I wanted to do the 4- way Speech contest. The topics were to "Engage Rotary and Change Lives." I worked on my speech everyday after school, and when it was time to perform it I felt pretty confident. Though, I messed up my speech and ended up getting last place. That night I made up scenarios that somehow I would be able to go to the District Conference. And guess what?! Three days before the Conference I was requested last minute to do my speech. I was never suppose to go to the District Conference and preform at the semi- finals, let alone the finals. Since I didn't have time to memorize my speech for the Finals I completely blanked, it wasn't because I was scared or anything, I just forgot what to say. I apologized to everyone and walked off of the stage. I then bolted to the girls bathroom and started to cry. I had a line of female Rotarian's outside of my stall trying to get me to come out. It was only until Bubbles, aka Diane Pomroy, who talked me into opening the stall door, she did this by threatening to climb over the stall if she had to. Even though Bubbles cheered me up I still didn't feel right, something was missing. I never got to tell my story. I didn't care, that much, that I got third place or that I messed up in front of 250 people, I just cared about telling my speech. My Rotarian adviser Nelson Maler noticed my disappointment and asked me if I would like to give my whole speech again later that night, and I told him I did. You might wondering what this speech is all about, why is it such a big deal? To some it may not be a big deal, but to me and everyone else I've shared it with, it is. Here's your chance to form your opinion.

(Pause)

I know that one person can make a difference and that this is the truth, it is fair to all concerned, it will build goodwill and better friendships, and it is beneficial to all concerned. This speech is not just for Rotary, but it is for anyone who has ever been told that they could not accomplish something.

My story began in 2004, I was five years old. This was the day that I had been waiting for since school had begun, it was difference week. It was the week that my teacher would bring in one person a day for three days and they would tell us how they made a difference, and how we could too. On the last day we drew a picture of what we thought making a difference looked like. When my sisters and I got home from school that day, I ran through the front door and showed my mom my drawing from school. It was suppose to be a picture of me helping those in need, but it really looked like a lop-sided stick figure, scribbles, and the words “I can make a difference” in many colors. Obviously, through a parents eyes, that all looked way different because my mom just smiled and gave me a hug while saying “I love it.” then she hung it up on the fridge. That night when my mom left to go to work, Shiel (her husband) went and locked the fridge as he normally did when my mom left. But instead of hearing the normal click of the lock and the pounding of his feet storming to his room, I heard a loud bang and the sound of him yelling for me to get into the kitchen. When I got into the kitchen I could tell that Shiel was angry. He held my drawing inn his hand and demanded to know why the picture was on the fridge. He told me that I could never make a difference and that I could never change the world. He threw away my drawing and I ran into my room. That night I made a vow to myself that I would make a difference no matter how hard I would have to try.

Is it the truth that one person can make a difference? Yes, hundreds of people have made a difference. Many of them were put down but they managed to rise above and accomplish their dreams. Look at Thomas Edison, he was told that he was, “too stupid to ever learn anything.” Obviously, that wasn't true because he created the light bulb and is now considered one of the greatest scientists in the world. Everyday people go through struggles, doubt themselves, and feel defeated. But they shouldn't. That's exactly what people like Shiel want us to believe. If you ignore negative people and pursue your dreams then you can accomplish anything. Look at Micheal Jordan, most people wouldn't believe that this famous basketball player was cut from his high school team. He says that failure is why he succeeds. Micheal Jordan is right. Success is not a place or even and item. It's a state of mind.

  Is it fair to all concerned that one person can make a difference? Yes, it is fair to believe in everyone. I personally try to be kind to everyone and believe in everyone's best. It is not fair to put people down. It is not healthy and it is not right. My whole life up until I moved here, I was bullied and didn't have any friends. When I was in elementary school in Nevada, I was bullied by my peers and I was even ridiculed by my teachers. Luckily, their cruelty did not lower my self-esteem very much. Eventually, I stopped dwelling on what others thought about me and I focused on school. In middle school, things got better but not by much. One day, I finally realized that the bullying needed to stop. I had an encounter with a girl who originally, I thought was a bullying, but in reality she was struggling with severe depression and was even considering suicide.

Can making a difference build goodwill and better friendships? Yes, by learning that I can help others in my school, I made a positive difference. During the course of three months not only did I help change that one girl's life, but I also helped many others overcome depression. I talked with them, comforted them, and tried to be their friend. Later on, several girls and I went to the principle and talked about the rising bullying problem in our school. We organized a day to come to school and stand up against bullies. That day we made a difference and even changed hundreds of lives. Bullies were no longer bullies and the kids were no longer being bullied. That wasn't all, the principle agreed to have a stand up to bullies day once a day, every year. We looked online and found out that February 28th is international stand up to bullies day. Later that day, I sat back and realized what I had just accomplished. I had just made a difference in the world. It may have been small, but it truly changed the lives of the kids at my middle school.

Does everyone benefit from someone making a difference in the world? Yes, about two years ago I came to live with my dad, sister, and step mom. When I got here my sister was in a club called Interact. She told me that it's a club for youth who want to volunteer and put service above self. Then she told me that I should join, and how much I would enjoy it. And so I did. I joined Interact when they were doing their Community 101 project. The club had raised over $6,000.00 to give away to non-profit organizations of their choice. By joining the school's Interact Club, I have learned how to have a positive outlook on life and how to excel in my academic classes. My peers and mentors have made a powerful impact on my life and have shown me how one individual can make a difference.

My life has its ups and downs and I have made some mistakes, but through those mistakes I have learned many important lessons. I have learned that not only one person can make a difference, but that I can as well; and that this is the truth, it is fair to all concerned, it will build goodwill and better friendships, and it is beneficial to all concerned. I now look back at that five year old girl who had spoken some very powerful words and even made a vow to change the world. I can't believe that I finally proved the people wrong that had put me down and told me that I could not accomplish something. Maybe it was courage or determination, or maybe it's because I believe in myself. Whatever it is, I am only getting started.

That was it, all 1,197 words. Who knew that those words would change so much? That by intertwining them with the 4-way test could make them that much more powerful. My experiences just as a 4-way speech contestant has changed my life. I will never forget my journey in delivering that speech. Through both Interact and Rotary I have learned how to inspire those around me to make a difference and the change the world. I have also learned how to be both a leader and a follower, because doing one is not always enough. I was taught this at RYLA, Rotary Youth Leadership Award. It is a leadership program that is five days long. In these five days you learn many skills such as, Leadership fundamentals, Communication skills, Problem solving and conflict management, and finally Community and global citizenship skills. Throughout those five days you also learn how to come out of your shell and do things you never thought you could do. You play games, and complete tasks with your assigned group. My sister Ashley went to RYLA the year before I did and told me how much fun she had. When I was there I had a lot of fun too. I even wrote a short poem about my days there. It's entitled, “Rotary Youth Leadership Award”

R-Y-L-A today was my first day
I woke and it hit me
the sure bliss of what the day is to be
with new surroundings and things to see
I wish that everyone could see
just how wonderful RYLA will be
R-Y-L-A today was my second day
communication and conflict was taught
although
the titanium rod
is what we all fought
R-Y-L-A today was my third day
respect and trust is what we all learned
both respect and trust must be well deserved
respect the trusted and trust the respected
for that is
what is expected
R-Y-L-A today was my fourth day
s.m.a.r.t. goals are useful tools
so lets make goals to use these tools
R-Y-L-A today was my fifth day
we all presented a pitch
for the pitch was fast
just like how these five days have so quickly passed
tonight there was a talent show
and a rap
given from our RYLA pro
I did what was told
so behold
I gave my speech
and everyone listened
for I told
about my difference in the world
in the end we laughed
and danced
and sang
for it truly was
a wild thing
samba de RYLA is what we called it
R-Y-L-A today is my last day
there's a new me
with new ways to see
for I am happy to see
the new me
I have become to be
out with the old
and in with new
is what a wise man once told
though I am happy
for the new me
I have come to see
I have noticed something very important you see
RYLA has changed me
and there does not have to be a rhyme for that
for it is the truth
and it always will be
oh yes
RYLA has truly changed me

Moving to Oregon has changed everything. My life is great now, and I am happy. I would never take back anything I have done, especially the “selfish” decisions I have made for myself. There are times when you just need to focus on yourself. With everything I've been through I have learned so much. I know that we have to do what's right, even when we don't want to do it. Life only gets harder, but here's some advice, it all truly depends on how we deal with what happens to us.