“We are all capable of wonderful things – each and every one of us. You may not know it now, but you may be sitting next to a future CEO of a multi-billion dollar company. Someone who went into the medical field and made huge advancements possibly curing the incurable diseases we have now. Or a pro athlete who would go on to win many accolades. And that person might be you.”
-An excerpt from De Angelo Miguel’s 2022 Carolyn Warner Public Speaking Competition speech
Through his leadership and community involvement, Tohono O’odham JAG President and University of Phoenix LEADS Leader De Angelo Miguel is not one to shy away from encouraging others to find their inner light.
From his public speaking experience at events on the reservation to his experience as leader for his JAG Career Association and the LEADS program, he has grown into a version of himself that he hadn’t always shown before.
“I’m not really an open kind of guy,” he said. “I just chillax in the background. I don’t really try to volunteer for much stuff. But with JAG it has helped me break out of my shell a little bit more.”
As he stood up at the podium to deliver a speech he had written for the Public Speaking Competition on a stage that he would later share with community leaders and executives, he was nervous but excited to share his voice.
“What inspired me was all of the support from all of my teachers who told me that I could do this,” he said. “I started writing down my speech and really enjoyed what I wrote, and thought maybe I can do this.”
While delivering his speech in front of judges and fellow contestants, he remembers the judges nodding along in agreement as his words filled the main hall of the convention center. It was a moment that made the vision of his speech and his own courage shine even brighter.
When it came time for the Carolyn Warner Legacy Public Speaking Competition Awards to be announced, he remembers the anticipation he felt.
“When they were going over the public speaking [awards], my heart was beating really fast. I heard 3rd Place – that’s not me. Then 2nd Place – and my heart started beating real fast. I was like ‘Really?! Did I really win?’ Then once they said my name it was like ‘man!’ It was very exciting.”
In addition to winning 1st Place in Division 2 for the Public Speaking Competition and leading a LEADS workshop for middle schoolers at the event, De Angelo Miguel enjoyed the Career and College Expo.
“I really liked looking around and seeing what opportunities I had,” he said. “I actually found a scholarship program that offers scholarships for my local community college!”
We wish him success in his endeavors!
Learn more about this year’s Career Development Conference and the exciting opportunities JAG members participated in HERE
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