Florida drillers, speakers qualify for national tourney

Photo by Carolyn Nichols

Sarah Vermilyea, Orlando, (front, left) and Angel McCurdy, Pace, are the 2005 winners of the youth Speakers Tournament. Timothy Vermilyea, Orlando (back, left) and Steven Warren, Brandon, were Bible Drill winner and runner-up. The annual state competition was held April 23 at Trinity Baptist Church in Apopka.

APOPKA (FBW)–Teenagers from Orlando and Pace will represent Florida in the third annual National Bible Drill and Speakers Invitational Tournament June 10 in Orlando. Winners were selected during the youth final competitions April 24 at Trinity Baptist Church in Apopka.

Timothy Vermilyea of Orlando, son of Mike and Prudence Vermilyea, was named the state Bible Drill winner. He is a member of Parkway Baptist Church and an eighth grader at Circle Christian School. His sister, Sarah Vermilyea, was named co-champion of the Speakers Tournament along with Angel McCurdy of Pace. Steven Warren, a member of Bell Shoals Baptist Church in Brandon, was Bible Drill runner-up.

Sarah Vermilyea, also a member of Parkway Baptist, is a high school junior at Circle Christian School. She was the state Bible Drill winner in 2003. McCurdy is a senior at Pace High School and a member of Immanuel Baptist Church. She is the daughter of Robbie and Amelia McCurdy.

Although it is the policy of the sponsoring Discipleship and Family Department to name one champion in each event, Bible Drill events in the distant past resulted in two winners. This is the first time co-champions were named in the Speakers Tournament, according to department director Bill Carmichael.

Photo by Carolyn Nichols

Angel McCurdy (L) and Sarah Vermilyea congratulate each other after being named winners of the Youth Speakers Tournament.

“Initially, Sarah Vermilyea was announced as winner of the event,” explained Carmichael. “Later, upon review, it was determined that both Sarah and Angel should be named champions of the event. Each one has a powerful speech that represents her walk with Christ.”

The youth final event is the culmination of several months of preparation by hundreds of children and youth across the state. They competed in church, associational and regional tournaments and drills during April. Only youth participants advanced to state competition.

Speakers tournament finalists included Katherine Fletcher, Fruit Cove Baptist Church, Jacksonville; Rachel Hunt, Jones Road Baptist Church, Jacksonville; and Parker Wyrosdick, Immanuel Baptist Church, Pace.

Youth Bible Drill finalists included Brittany Demps and Cherisse Chloe Long, both from Grace of God Baptist Church, Miami; Julia Shoucair, Bell Shoals Baptist Church, Tampa; Brian Cason and Seth Holt, both from Fruit Cove Baptist Church, Jacksonville; Lydia Kulpa, Hickory Grove Baptist Church, Green Cove Springs; Conner Currier, Aloma Baptist Church, Winter Park; Charles Hubbard, Bellview Baptist Church, Pensacola; and Kaitlynn Floyd, Immanuel Baptist Church, Pace.

The state winners will join representatives from at least 15 other states in the national competition June 10 at First Baptist Church, Orlando.

The public is invited to attend the national final competition. For more information, contact the Discipleship and Family Department, 800-226-8584, ext. 3066.