Pierce High's Ashley Flood wins state speech contest

When Ashley Flood talks — people listen.

The Pierce High School senior on Thursday captured the state RCD Speak-Off competition, besting five other finalists in Stockton and earning $300 and a summer internship in the Colusa County Resource Conservation District Office.

And she wasn't feeling her best either.

"The drive down was kind of nerve-racking because I've been sick all week," Flood said.

When she arrived, she saw the big room at the Hilton for the first time. She also learned she would be using a microphone, which she had not done at any of the other competitions.

"It wasn't a distraction, but it was different," Flood said. "But I think it helped me because I was sick and it helped project my voice out better."

Flood was the third speaker, and she spent her time waiting just trying to relax and ease any strain on her voice.

Still, there were plenty of jitters.

But Flood knew she had a good speech, she had performed it well before, and she had taken the critique given on her performance last time to heart.

One of those things was how she dressed.

"I wore a dress suit, with a skirt and a nice blouse," said Flood.

The skirt was dark blue, the shirt blue and white, and she added a dark blue blazer to complete the look.

When she was finally called to begin her speech, she got another little surprise.

"I walked into the room and there was a guy there with the microphone, and he said, 'I'm going to count 1-2-3 and you begin your speech,'" Flood said.

She barely had the microphone in her hand when she heard the man say, "One-two-three."

"I started a bit fast, but then I slowed down," Flood said.

Each speech must be at least three minutes and no longer than five minutes.

Afterward, she was able to listen to the final two speakers, and she knew she had done better than they performed.

But a friend who had come down with her said the first speaker, who Flood did not hear, had been really good.

Then came more waiting — nearly 45 minutes.

"We were supposed to go eat lunch, but I couldn't eat because I was so nervous," Flood said.

Finally, all the contestants were brought back on stage, and the results announced.

The trip home, as might be imagined, was a bit easier than the trip down.

But even with that time to absorb all that had happened, Flood said it was still just sinking in on what she had accomplished.

Still, Flood is already looking forward to the Lions Club speech contest in February, the winner of which earns a $15,000 scholarship.

Flood wants to do her undergraduate work at Washington University in St. Louis and then attend law school at Georgetown.

If all goes well, she would like to be involved in agricultural law as a career.