MADISON TOWNSHIP — Jacelynn Barely didn’t always have such high expectations for herself.
Now she’s speaking on a national stage.
“If you would have talked to me sophomore year, I didn’t think I was going to graduate. I was at such a low point in my life,” said Barley, a recent graduate of Madison Comprehensive High School.
“I didn’t think that I would make it here. But here I am, doing 10 times better than I ever would have thought and I’m able to give a speech that can influence other people to do the same.”
Karen VonStein, who works in Madison’s career tech department, described Barley as ambitious and driven.
“She has had obstacles in her life and she has jumped over them like an Olympic runner,” VonStein said.
“She is one of the strongest young women I know,” VonStein added. “She wants to be successful and I have no doubt she will.”
Barley tossed her graduation cap earlier this week with the class of 2025, but she’ll be representing the Rams one last time at a national conference later this month.
The SkillsUSA National Leadership & Skills Conference, hosted in Atlanta, brings together career tech students from across the country for networking, educational opportunities and thousands of skills-based competitions.
Barley will be competing in the prepared speech event. The event requires students to write, memorize and deliver a five- to seven-minute speech without any notes or visual aides.
After placing fourth at regionals and first at state, Barley became Ohio’s contender.
All contestants must craft a speech around a given theme. This year’s was “Ignite Your Potential.”
Barley’s speech expanded on the image of a flame. She connected each of its colors — blue, white, gold and red — to actions students can take to become better leaders and build a bright future.
The four colors of a flame also happen to the ones associated with SkillsUSA, an organization Barley said changed her life for the better.
“I’ve been to fall conference, I’ve been to state competitions,” she said. “You have so many experiences and opportunities in SkillsUSA.”
Barley became involved with the student career tech organization her junior year after joining Madison’s culinary arts program. She said she immediately gravitated towards the message that teens aren’t too young to enter the workforce.
During her senior year, Barley attended classes in the morning, then went to work a full shift as a cook in a local restaurant.
Barley’s speech incorporated a bit of humor and pop culture references, from a brief Smokey Bear impersonation to quotes from Alicia Keys, Neil Pierre, David Bowie’s Space Oddity and cult classic coming-of-age film, The Outsiders.
Barley said she relied on her experience acting and performing while a student at the Richland School of Academic Arts.
“After the first time I did it, I sat there and I was like, ‘I love this. This is kind of fun,'” she said.
“It’s literally like acting. You have a speech. You read it over and over again until you memorize it. Then you just sit and you watch yourself until you look good enough.”
Barley said she plans to take some pre-requisite courses at a local college. Her ultimate goal is to go into computer science and writing and become a food critic.
