Cha’Quoria Brown, a Edison PreK-8 student who took first place in the 28th annual Martin Luther King Jr. Oratorical Contest for eighth graders, didn’t talk until the end of second grade.

But she wowed the judges and attendees with her speech on change in the African-American community by intertwining her own changes with her theme.

Cha’Quoria had a special tutor to help her with her speech impediment until this year.

“I didn’t know if I would pronounce words right, so I’d just point,” she said. “Then, by third grade, I started talking, but I never thought I’d ever enter a speech contest.”

Fourth-grade teacher Katrinka Woodie helped to prepare Cha’Quoria for the contest.

“I volunteered to coach her, and she worked hard,” said Woodie. “While she read her speech, I’d interrupt and ask questions to help her dig deeper and organize her thoughts. When I found out from her mother that she didn’t talk for several years and had to take special speech classes, I suggested that she add her personal testimony and talk about the support she got from others that helped her to change and become successful.”

During the competition, Woodie sat next to Cha’Quoria’s mother, Laquada Casey, and stepfather Marlon Douglas.

“We had decided she’d be in the top five, but the day before, she told me she’d make it to the top three,” said Woodie. “When she presented, she conveyed her passion well, she made eye contact, and her pauses were great.

“After the top three were named, they announced third place, then second; when her mother realized that Cha’Quoria would get first, she grabbed my arm. It was awesome.”

Cha’Quoria said the announcement left her shocked, nervous and excited.

“My parents were screaming and crying to know that I came this far,” she said. “I never thought I could do it. Now, I know I can do even more with writing and speaking.”

She presented her winning speech again at her school’s award ceremony, then at Thurgood Marshall High School, and will present again at a Board of Education meeting.

Second place in the competition went to Eastmont PreK-8 student Brandy Lynch; Shaylynn Ramsey, Fairview PreK-8 student, took third.