Kate Getz, a resident of Yatesville, intends to further her eduction to study chemical engineering. She is shown reading at the Stettler Learning Resources Center on campus.
Tony Callaio | For Sunday Dispatch
While at Wyoming Seminary, Kate Getz was awarded one of the school’s highest honors, the Levi Sprague Fellowship.
Tony Callaio | For Sunday Dispatch
Seventeen-year-old Kate Getz, shown on the campus of Wyoming Seminary, will finish her high school career later this spring.
Tony Callaio | For Sunday Dispatch
Kate Getz, a senior at Wyoming Seminary, is the 2021 Upper School oratorical contest winner, which was announced on Feb. 15, 2021. Getz is a native of Yatesville.
Tony Callaio | For Sunday Dispatch
KINGSTON – Yatesville native and Wyoming Seminary senior, Katharine Getz, is the 2021 winner of the prestigious and historical 100-year-old Upper School oratorical contest at the college preparatory school.
The Oratorical Contest, held on Feb. 15, 2021, was opened to all Wyoming Seminary students who must give a persuasive speech on a student’s passion. Because of the unusual school year with the pandemic, students were able to give a three-minute speech rather than the usual 10-minute speech.
“I’ve wanted to do the contest for the past couple of years because I literally hate public speaking, just to challenge myself,” Getz, 17, admitted. “But I’ve been so busy and never did it, but this time I thought this is the last time, I’m going to do it this year.”
Getz’s topic was on 17-year-old entertainer and social media influencer, Jo Jo Siwa, on Siwa’s recent announcement of her coming out as a member of the LGTBQ community. Siwa has over 54 million TikTok, YouTube and Instagram followers.
“With her coming out, I thought this would make such a good topic; I thought it was awesome,” Getz said. “I talked about what the impact of her coming out would be especially on young kids who are her entire target audience and how having that representation that’s not typically seen in kid’s media. It’s really an important step.”
According to Getz, Siwa has a huge widespread merchandising market mainly for the elementary school-aged children.
As the winner of the Oratorical Contest, Getz’s won $100 and first place points for the Florentine Society, which she is a member.
The former Pittston Area student began her career at Wyoming Seminary freshman year. While at Wyoming Seminary she’s been involved with the math department as a student representative, a leader of the Students of Color Alliance, as well as playing basketball until senior year.
Getz is also the recipient of the esteemed Levi Sprague Fellowship, named after Wyoming Seminary’s fourth president. As the recipient, she was awarded full boarding tuition for her senior year.
“I chose to live on campus to be fully involved in a community that I love so much in my final year,” Getz said. “As a Levi Sprague Fellow, my role is to be a leader amongst the student body while fostering community in any way I can.”
She plans on attending college studying chemical engineering where she may focus on oil and environment, medicine or computer science. She’s currently looking at schools such as Rensselaer Polytechnic Institute, Drexel University, Worchester Polytechnic Institute and Penn State University.
Due to the pandemic, it has been very difficult for Getz to visit any of the institution of higher learning to date.
“I’ve been to the Penn State campus because my family has been big Penn State fans, and I visited Drexel right before COVID hit,” Getz said. “It’s been so hard to visit campuses since the pandemic.”
Wyoming Seminary’s spring break is coming up in a week and Getz and her father have six colleges they would like to visit.
“My dad and I are planning to visit schools right at the beginning of break,” Getz said. “When I get back I’ll quarantine for two weeks before coming back to school.”
Getz, the daughter of Karen and Jessie Getz, hopes to make her college choice decision by May 1.
