At the young age of seven, Joshua Apparicio was winning several local competitions for his oratory talents. Now at the age of 12, he continues to garner attention and awards for his public speaking skills.
Apparicio, who attends Morningside Church of Christ in Inglewood, dazzled the audience at last month’s Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. Worship Service at Faithful Central Bible Church. During the event, he received repeated applause for his speech, “We Are Better Together: Realizing the Dream.”
The confident, yet humble, 8th grade student, said he aims for his message to inspire other youth. “What I plan to do with my public speaking skills is encourage others, especially young children, not [to be] deterred from their path to academic success, which is one of my prime goals,” said Apparicio, who was recently inducted into the National Junior Honor Society.
He also uses his gift of encouragement in his role as president of the Student State Representative Program. The national nonprofit focuses on preventing bullying and empowering youth through hope and resiliency training.
“I became involved in the Student State Representative Program because I was bullied for six years and Inglewood Mayor James T. Butts played a huge role in me becoming president,” explained Apparicio, who plans to become a civil rights attorney.
“My job as president involves encouraging, invigorating and inspiring students that have been deterred from the road to success. If they stay on the road to success, they can achieve anything they set their mind to,” he noted.
Apparicio’s mother, Shirmin, added, “I’m very proud of Joshua and also inspired by Joshua. I know he is a true blessing from God. He wants to be that beacon of light for his generation.”
