Jacqueline Garcia Torres, junior information systems major from Abilene, and Jane Anne Carroll, senior history major from Abilene, excelled in the 100th annual Battle of Flowers Oratorical Competition. Garcia Torres placed first, and Carroll placed third with their speeches on various aspects of Texas history.

Their victory marks the fourth year that ACU students have placed first.

The competition, hosted by the all-female Battle of Flowers organization in San Antonio, is the second-longest-running oratorical contest in the country. This year’s theme, “Six Flags Over Texas,” allowed students to explore Texas history in a 10-to-12-minute speech.

The event, held at the Witte Museum in San Antonio, included a catered lunch and an awards ceremony featuring food representing the six flags that once flew over Texas.

In Garcia Torres’ speech, she discussed the opening of the Johnson Space Center. She focused on three key individuals in NASA’s history from a Texas perspective: Ed White, a San Antonio native who became the first American to walk in space; Dorothy Lee, a scientist who helped improve spacecraft safety during re-entry; and Poppy Northcutt, who was the first woman in Mission Control and later became a women’s rights attorney. By weaving their stories together, Garcia Torres aimed to offer a fresh perspective and highlight women’s contributions, which she said are often overlooked in discussions about NASA’s history.

Carroll’s speech examined the impact of oil on Texas, beginning with the Spindletop oil discovery and continuing through its influence on the economy, education and infrastructure. She described how oil wealth has shaped Texas communities by funding universities, museums and hospitals.

“I talked about people who made it rich in oil and what they’ve done for the communities,” Carroll said. “And so, kind of showing that oil is in all parts of Texas culture, even if it doesn’t feel like it.”

The competition process began in October when contestants selected their topics and conducted research. By November, they submitted abstracts, followed by a draft in January. Then, on Feb. 27, they delivered their speeches entirely from memory in front of a panel of five judges.

Carroll said one of the most challenging parts of the day was the waiting period between rounds. After delivering their speeches in the morning, competitors endured a nerve-wracking two-hour break before finding out if they had advanced to the finals.

Garcia Torres and Carroll said the support of their debate coach, Sheila Ritchie, was instrumental to their success. Ritchie, director of forensics and debate, helped them refine and rehearse their speeches.

“Battle of Flowers is something you have to decide to do for yourself, but once you decide to do it, she’s there every step of the way, encouraging you,” Carroll said.

The first-place winner is invited as an honored guest to the Battle of Flowers luncheon in San Antonio. Garcia Torres will return in early May to present her speech in front of more than 500 people.

“That’s kind of scary,” Garcia Torres said. “But I think it’s worth it because it’s just a big celebration. And it was a very big accomplishment.”

At the competition in February, when the judges announced the second-place winner, Garcia Torres said she turned to Ritchie and whispered, “I’m going to cry.”

“That was a big moment that I just remember very vividly,” she said. “Just waiting to go up to the podium.”

Moments later, her name was called as the first-place winner. She walked to the stage and hugged the niece of the Battle of Flowers founder, who whispered, “I know my aunt would have been so proud of you.”

Garcia Torres said it was a special moment she will always cherish.

Afterward, strangers congratulated her, including a man who had known Ed White personally. He shared stories of working in the same building as White.

“It was really thrilling to meet all these different people who enjoyed my speech, and they all had a different perspective,” Garcia Torres said.