Photo by Warren Township Schools
Warren Middle School Student Earns Gold Medal
Warren Township Public Schools
Constantin Bellmann, a 7th grader at Warren Middle School was recently recognized by the New Jersey Speech & Debate League (NJSDL) for earning the Gold Medal of Excellence in Themed Prepared Prompts in the online Festival for Hispanic Heritage Month.
Bellmann chose to take part in the rigorous public speaking event where he had to choose a prompt, research the meaning, write and memorize an original speech, and submit a video for judging.
Bellmann selected a quote from Mexican-American musician Carlos Santana. “There’s a melody in everything. And once you find that melody, then you connect immediately with the heart. Because sometimes English, or Spanish, Swahili or any language gets in the way. But nothing penetrates the heart faster than the melody.”
Bellmann highlights Santana’s ability to create music and share stories from the heart while transcending language and cultural barriers and being widely known worldwide.
In his speech, Bellmann identifies with Santana’s sentiments and believes music is a universal language that he, too, can feel deep within his heart. He emphasizes that music can make a moment timeless.
“In our world today, miscommunication can often lead to conflict, and communication is often hindered by linguistic differences,” stated Bellman. “I believe that music can become a unifying force. Music has always allowed me to connect with people from different backgrounds, cultures, and experiences.”
“The Warren Middle School community is very proud of Constantin,” Dr. Susan Cooper, E2 Teacher, shared in a letter to the Warren Township Schools administration. “Constantin was the only WMS student in a competition of over 100 middle and high school students from around the globe (mostly NJ). We feel very fortunate to have students like Constantin who find enjoyment in academic enrichment opportunities and who take them to the highest level of effort and enthusiasm.”
Cooper also credits Public Speaking Teacher Mrs. Christine Cirrotti for helping Bellmann achieve success by working with him to prepare for the competition.
Bellmann plans to continue participating in Academic Challenges and appreciates his teachers’ support. “Last year was my first experience with forensics. Dr. Cooper and Mrs. Cirrotti took us to a speech competition at Union Catholic High School. I enjoyed preparing for it but was not thrilled with my personal end result. I knew I had two choices: to give up on speech competitions or take advantage of any opportunity in the future to grow and learn and get better. When this opportunity came along, I jumped on it. I was immediately drawn to the quote on music because that is another passion of mine. The research and writing of the speech was the easy part. Memorizing and delivering it with emotion took practice. Dr. Cooper and Mrs. Cirrotti were so generous with the extra time they spent helping me prepare, record, and submit my final speech. I really couldn’t have done it without them. This is just one example of all the amazing offerings of the E2 program at WMS. I am really glad that the teachers support us in participating in enrichment opportunities.”
