THE VIRGINIAN-PILOT
Copyright (c) 1995, Landmark Communications, Inc.
DATE: Sunday, May 14, 1995 TAG: 9505120164
SECTION: PORTSMOUTH CURRENTS PAGE: 03 EDITION: FINAL
TYPE: Close Up
LENGTH: Medium: 99 lines
Until 13-year-old Ashley Eickhof lost a close friend to AIDS, she really hadn't given the disease much thought.
But by the time her friend died a year ago at age 32, she had learned more about AIDS than just its symptoms.
Before his death, Ashley's friend taught her ``to love people for their inner beauty, not hate them for a physical flaw.''
``His physical flaw was AIDS,'' said Ashley in an award-winning speech she gave in an oratorical contest sponsored by Optimist International. The speech won Ashley a $1,500 college scholarship.
In her talk, Ashley spoke of AIDS being a ``heart-breaking disease of ignorance and discrimination, which ends in death.''
She described how ``the victims get eaten away by the disease, as well as by the remarks and actions of people who know nothing of the real disease, but only what they think is true.''
She told how ``it caused him to live each day to the fullest, for he now did not take life for granted, as so many of us do.''
Ashley first gave the speech in her English class at Churchland Middle School, where she is in the eighth grade.
``It was mandatory that we did it for our English class. Then, if you wanted to, you could enter this contest,'' she said.
Each speech had the same theme, ``Listen To Me.'' The talk had to last between four and five minutes and was open to students up to age 16.
Ashley first competed in a contest sponsored by The Optimist Club of Portsmouth. She and schoolmate James Ford, 13, won that contest, which allowed them to represent the club at the zone level.
Males and females compete separately and the same speech is given at each level of competition.
Ashley advanced to the next level, competing with 11 girls from Virginia, the District of Columbia and the eastern part of West Virginia.
She won a $1,500 scholarship.
``She got better each time she gave it,'' said Les Bell of The Optimist Club of Portsmouth. ``The club contest started a month and a half ago, and each time she gave it, we could see so much improvement in her delivery.
``She gave the same talk, but she just got more confident and more at ease with what she was saying.''
The speeches covered a wide range of topics from teenage suicide and capital punishment to violence and the homeless.
``This is the first time I've ever even done a speech,'' said Ashley. ``At first, I was kind of scared because I'm only 13 and all these girls were 15 and 16.
``But I'm a gymnast, so I'm kind of used to performing.''
Scoring was based on personal qualities, material organization, delivery, presentation and overall effectiveness.
``And sincerity was a big thing,'' she said.
Had she decided to speak on any other subject, the speech probably wouldn't have come across as sincere, she said.
``I wouldn't have had a purpose for it,'' Ashley said. ``It just wouldn't have been as meaningful.''
Name: Ashley Mae Eickhof
Hometown: Portsmouth
Birthdate: May 24, 1981
School and Grade: Eighth-grader at Churchland Middle School
Parents: Cindy V. Goree and Richard W. Eickhof
Brothers and sisters: Stephanie A. Pinchbeck, 17, and Brennar R. Goree, 5
Favorite subject: Math
Favorite food: Homemade Chef Boyardee pepperoni pizza
Favorite restaurant: Genghis Khan Mongolian Bar-B-Q
Hobbies: Ballroom dancing
Favorite movies: ``Lion King'' and ``Forrest Gump''
Favorite song:: ``Hakuna Matata'' or ``Lean On Me''
Favorite sport: Gymnastics
Favorite magazine: YM, Teen, Seventeen and USA Gymnastics
Last book read for fun: Bible
Favorite TV shows: ``My So-Called Life'' and TGIF (``Family Matters,'' ``Boy Meets World,'' etc.)
Last smart thing you did: Entered a speech contest and won a $1,500 scholarship.
Last dumb thing you did: Crawled over the low bar in the middle of my bar routine in the state competition.
Pet peeve: Rude and inconsiderate people.
Who are your heroes: God, my dad, my mom and Nana.
Your worst habit: Waiting until the last minute.
Last vacation: Cruise to the Bahamas and Key West in November and visit to my father's home in Las Vegas for Christmas.
Favorite way to spend a day: Sitting back, relaxing and watching TV or listening to the radio while reading my favorite magazines.
If you had 15 minutes on national television, what would you discuss: The problems in our society today, especially involving the youth, and I'd ask everyone to help.
When I get older: I dream of being an actress, but I want to work toward being a hotel manager of a large hotel and casino in Las Vegas. ILLUSTRATION: Staff photo by MARK MITCHELL
by CNB