Elizabethtown College Sociology and Japanese double major Hannah Smith ’25 recently won a Church of the Brethren (COB) Youth Speech Contest. She is one of three winners who will speak during a worship service at the 2022 National Youth Conference (NYC) in Fort Collins, Colo. this summer.
Smith first heard about the contest through her church, Brownsville Church of the Brethren, where she frequently gives sermons on youth-sponsored Sundays. Motivated by her love of public speaking, Smith applied so that she could share her story with others who might need to hear her message about mental health.
“I wrote about my struggle with my mental health and used the story of Jesus calming the 
storm on the water as a support,” Smith said. “For me, Jesus calming the storm on the water was the best story that fit my struggles with mental health.”
The theme of this year’s Youth Speech Contest was, “Bring Your Own Jesus Story.” Participants were encouraged to consider how Jesus’s teachings are foundational to their life, and then to choose a story about Jesus from the Bible and preach on it.
“When I found out I won, I was shocked to say the least,” Smith said. “After the shock faded, I was honestly proud, especially since I was able to see my growth from when I first started preaching to now.”
Smith says she is most looking forward to meeting new people at the conference.
“The conference is a way for those in attendance to connect with everyone from across the U.S. and a few countries outside of the U.S. as well,” Smith said. “I’m also looking forward to the growth, new experiences, and the speakers that will also be there!”
Smith will be traveling to Colorado with her youth group for the National Youth Conference from July 23-28.
