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Girl, 10, Inspires With Written Word

By Carl Orth | The Suncoast News

Published: June 18, 2008

TRINITY - School is out for the summer, a time when many youngsters hit the playgrounds, spend even more time playing video games or just generally goof off.

But not 10-year-old Claudia Sille. The youngster has become a "Rotary junkie," her parents Rob and Kathryn "Kat" Sille say with a chuckle.

Not really expecting all that much and mildly protesting, Claudia had tagged along one day with her mom to a Rotary Club of Trinity meeting.

Claudia came away so inspired by how Rotary strives to help people that she wrote a speech for the Tropicana Public Speaking competition at Cypress Elementary School. The contest is open to fourth- and fifth-graders.

Lo and behold, Claudia won her school's competition and advanced. Eventually her speech ranked among the 21 best in the state out of some 33,000 entries.

She has been in big demand ever since to read her speech at Rotary meetings all over the area.

Trinity Rotary President Carol Kinnard was so impressed by the speech she forwarded it to Rotary district governor Tim Schuller. He then invited Claudia to read her tome at a recent convention jam packed with people.

"I was very nervous at the district convention," Claudia recalls. "They made me hold a microphone and I didn't like it. Mom said there were about 150 people and all of my friends were in the very back."

"Claudia's speech received a standing ovation and an invitation to speak at numerous other clubs," her Kat Sille reports. "It is very interesting to see what Rotary is all about from the views of a 10 year old."

Schuller announced Claudia was collecting Rotary lapel pins.

"After Claudia gave her speech she was stopped by many Rotarians giving her the pins right off of their shirts," proud mom Kat remembers.

Claudia received so many pins she started keeping them in a jewelry box, a gift from Trinity Rotarians.

"Right now I have about 50 pins and I keep getting more every time I give my speech," Claudia said. "Rotarians are so nice, they just give me their pins for my collection. I would like to keep collecting as long as I can and would like to pass my collection down to my children one day."

At first Claudia toyed with writing about her cousin serving in Afghanistan, her mom recalled. Attending her first Rotary meeting made up Claudia's mind about a topic for her speech. Her mom advised against writing on Rotary. "I didn't think her peers would understand what it was all about."

But Claudia had insisted and her instincts proved correct. She has appeared at the Trinity, Seven Springs and Clearwater Rotary clubs. She has been asked to appear before the Holiday, Clearwater East and Keystone clubs.

"I am very proud of myself for how far my speech has actually gone," Claudia said. "It means a lot to me that all of the clubs have wanted me to visit and give my speech. I don't even mind getting up early for the breakfast meetings during my summer break."