When Apple Valley speech champ talks, people believe him

Nader Helmy stood in front of the Apple Store at the Mall of America and watched his father unfurl his prayer mat.

The family had been ambling around the mall celebrating the end of the Islamic holiday Ramadan. Helmy recalls the discomfort he felt at the idea of praying in such a public place.

His father told him, "Don't ever be ashamed of who you are."

It's these compelling real-life experiences that Helmy laces into his competitive speeches. It's landed him on the national podium two years in a row. In June, the 17-year-old won first place in original oratory for the second year in a row at the National Forensic League Speech and Debate Tournament.

A two-time national champion leaves even the forensics community a bit speechless. The Apple Valley High School junior is just the third competitor in the tournament's 81-year history to win back-to-back national titles in original oratory. Helmy bested nearly 250 other national competitors each year.

"He is absolutely charming. He is absolutely endearing," said Joe Wycoff, who coaches the speech team along with his wife Pam. "The ultimate compliment we tell the kids is, 'I believe you.' When Nader talks, you just believe him. He has such a passion and conviction."

Original oratory is one of six main categories. Competitors select a topic based on a pervasive problem and then research and write a 10-minute speech. Helmy said his coaches assigned him to the category and it just felt right.

Helmy uses lessons from his father to punctuate his speeches. Helmy's parents immigrated from Egypt and now live in Lakeville with their three sons.

"He is the depth finder," explained Helmy. "He has a deep-rooted sense of culture and heritage."

In 2011, Helmy spoke about society's devaluation of things that are old, including customs, belongings, even people. He used the prayer incident at the Mall of America to drive home the point.

This year, he spoke of how many people today surf through life.

"We have a superficial approach to life, Helmy said. "We don't bother to dig deep."

"I was told some of my aunts were crying," said Helmy, describing his family as very supportive.

During the competition, Helmy stood alone on stage. There's no microphone stand or podium to lean on. Helmy said he drinks a Gatorade and goes over the speech in his head before taking the stage.

"The pinnacle of any career is to get on the stage, to be in the top six," Helmy said. "I was just dumbfounded and thankful."

Helmy wasn't the only local winner. District 196 is a powerhouse in speech. In total, 38 District 196 students qualified for the nationals.

Four of the six national finalists in original oratory are from the district. Patricia Alexis Reeves of Apple Valley High finished third, followed by Michael Ross of Eastview High School in fourth and Thomas Dyke of Eagan High School in sixth.

"We have a very supportive community and administration. We have kids who are talented, but that's not enough. Our kids in 196 outwork everybody. Nader being a classic example," Wycoff said.

Helmy said he plans to compete in speech his senior year, but he's taking the summer off, playing video games, watching movies, reading and hanging out with friends.

He's not sure what he wants to do when he grows up or if he'll even continue competing in speech in college. But he said he's already taking advantage of that skill set.

"In job interviews, it's a nice thing to drop," Helmy said. "It gives me an edge."