Shankara Srikatan Wins Local Student Speaker Contest

Cupertino, February 4, 2016 – Shankara Srikantan, a junior at Cupertino High School, was awarded first place at Cupertino DeAnza Lion’s Club, 2016 Student Speaker Contest this evening. (Shown with event co-chair Lion Walt Strach.)

Shankara Srikantan was one of 3 high school students participating from the Fremont Union High School District who took part in the event held at the Odd Fellows Hall in Cupertino. The topic was “Liberty and Justice for All – What Does it Mean to You?”

The other finalists were Grace Zhou from Monta Vista, and Milo Forbes from Homestead High School.

According to Cupertino DeAnza contest Chair, Ms. Dagmar Zimdahl, this is the 79th year that the Lion’s Student Speaker Contest has been held.

By winning Shankara Srikantan will advance to the Zone level competition. The Zone contest will be in March, however the date and location have not yet been announced.

Lions co-Chair, Walt Strach, noted that the winner at each level can advance through Region, District, Area, and the Final Contests. This year the final contest will be held in Redding. The Grand Winner will be awarded a $10,000 scholarship although accumulated winnings at each level will be $20,000 in scholarships and $500 cash.

Lions Club International is the world’s largest service club organization with more than 1.35 million members in more than 200 countries and geographic areas around the world. Since 1917, Lions clubs have aided the blind and visually impaired and made a strong commitment to community service and serving youth throughout the world.