Writing Need help with speeches...Or fun quick essay

[Luminaire]

[color=crimson]I don't know if this thread really belongs here, and I apologize if it doesn't, but I am in dire need of speech help. Let me explain the situation:

You go into a room and deliver you prepared speech to two or three judges. I have that part down. Next, after you finish the judges read you three prompts...you have thirty seconds to decide which you would like as a topic. Then you have one minute to prepare a 1 min 30 second speech. The judges dont know you at all by the way.

Basically here is my problem. I pulled it off wonderfully my first time, at regional competitions. As we practice in school, however, I find myself unable to deliver the spontaneous speech. I'll make an outline, but I might get through the intro and it will fall apart. Tonight, I got through about one point in my intro and had to stop:

Impromptu Topic: "Who is the most influential person in your life? Why?"

"If I were to name the most influential person in my life and why...I would have to say William Shakespeare. Shakespeare is unique in many ways. The way he spoke. It was like learning a new language. He even has his own dictionary now. His language............................... ........................."

And then I just said I couldn't do it. I really couldn't. I had lost all train of thought. >_<

So now, I am trying to think of what to write about for impromptu topics that I have been told to write about. Person (family and nonfamily), an achievement, a book I have read, and something pro-America. Something about a world issue would probably help too. I need a suggestion for the world issue.

I think I might post with what I come up with. Or does anyone have any tips for speech giving?

Here's one for most influential person:

If I had to name one person who has influenced me the most and why....I would actually have to name two people, my friends Andrew and Ben. It was these two friends that taught me a song that I will never forget. "The Alligator Song." It tells the tale of an alligator who just wants to be a friend. He wants to be accepted as a friend as well. There is a great lesson to be learned from this children?s' sing-along:
"The alligator is my friend. He's very very fat. I'd rather have him
as my friend...than where him as my hat."
While these lyrics may seem silly, there is a deeper meaning. Look at yourself and people from a different perspective. In terms of the alligator, take look at him. You see the scales that make a popular trend in fashion. But if you look deeper, there is a living creature under that possible merchandise that could someday be your friend. Don't always just look at the outside.
"The alligator is my friend. He likes to sing the blues. I'd rather
have him as my friend...than wear him as my shoes."
Within this simple song, you are taught to look past outside appearances and look for the "alligator" in everyone. They say true beauty is on the inside, not the out. Ben and Andrew showed me that a four-year-old can learn to see inner beauty, just by singing a song.
"The alligator...can be your friend too."

That was 1:34 when I first recited it.

~Lumi ^_^[/color]