Pictured: Best of the Best competitors stand with their Advisor Mrs. Katherine Zucco (front left). First row: Marissa Yamulla (center) and Maia Laverty (right). Second Row (left to right): Gabe Horvath, Ian Composto, and Philip Benyo. Caleb Skuba was missing from the picture.

MMI Preparatory School’s Head of School, Mrs. Theresa Long, proudly announced the winner of this year’s prestigious Best of the Best competition:  sophomore Ian Composto. Ian earned this distinguished honor by delivering an outstanding presentation before the entire student body titled “United States Presidents Who Were Set Up for Failure.”

The Best of the Best competition is the culminating event within MMI’s Student Assembly Program, which is designed to cultivate confident, articulate, and engaging young leaders. Through this initiative, students refine essential public speaking skills that are critical for academic and professional success. The program emphasizes crafting compelling narratives, conducting relevant research, integrating multimedia tools effectively, and delivering speeches with confidence and poise.

“At MMI, we believe that every student has a unique story to tell,” said Mrs. Long. “The Student Assembly Program provides an authentic platform for students to develop and showcase their communication skills in a supportive learning environment. We are continually evolving this program to enhance its impact on our students.”

Mrs. Katherine Zucco, advisor to the MMI Student Assembly Program, emphasized the significance of the program in students’ development: “The ability to speak with confidence and clarity is an invaluable skill that benefits students far beyond the classroom. Through this program, our students not only refine their public speaking abilities but also gain the poise and self-assurance needed to succeed in their future academic and professional endeavors.”

The Student Assembly Program follows a structured schedule, ensuring that all students have an opportunity to participate. In the 10th and 11th Grade Program, students present in person before their peers in the school cafeteria in October. In the 9th Grade Program, students present in person before their peers in the school cafeteria in November. In the Middle School Program (Grades 6-8), MMI students present within their respective grade-level Workshop Classes in January. The senior class assemblies are combined with their independent research projects that will be on display at the school’s Open House event on March 23.

Each assembly is graded and students who achieve an “excellent” rating receive a prize, while the highest-scoring presentations from each grade level earn “Best of the Best” recognition. These top presenters then have the prestigious opportunity to share their assemblies before the entire student body and receive special accolades for their accomplishments.

Other outstanding students who competed in the Best of the Best were: sophomore Philip Benyo (Effects of Medication on Muscle Contractions), junior Gabe Horvath (World of T-Shirts: A Story of Manipulation), freshman Maia Laverty (Women in Film), junior Caleb Skuba (Social Media and Its Effects on Students), and freshman Marissa Yamulla (Greatest Environmental Issues).

The MMI Student Assembly Program is a time-honored tradition that MMI alumni remember with deep gratitude and respect. Many recognize how the skills they developed through this program set them apart in college and their professional careers.