An elevator pitch that stood out to me was Emma’s on the Heartbeat Bill. Emma’s delivery of it was well done. She talked with eloquence and conviction that made me appreciate what she was saying even more. It sounded very natural, and it was apparent that she planned spontaneity instead of just memorizing her speech. The subject she spoke on is also extremely important. I’ve never actually watched or heard of Paxton Smith’s speech, but after hearing Emma’s pitch, it’s made me want to listen to it. However, I have read a lot about the Heartbeat Bill, so I have some context for the artifact. Looking at the past week or so, Texas has continued to have controversies over strict abortion laws. Even for me, someone who’s not a Texas citizen, it’s difficult to watch these laws be created and passed. That’s why I appreciated Emma connecting herself to the situation since her identity as a Texan makes it even more relevant to her. She should really utilize that connection and try to drive home emotion in her speech and essay. This will help draw the audience into what Emma’s speaking about, but it also will make her speech even more impactful. She did this in her elevator pitch, but I think she could add even more in her final project. Leading in with her connection also meant that the audience was invested from the beginning. Emma should try to keep a similar structure for her final speech as it was a compelling grabber. When looking at the speech one aspect I think Emma should consider is the rhetorical situation. The fact that this was at a high school graduation makes it interesting, but it’s also a speech in an already emotional setting. The students were emotional about leaving high school behind. They also could have had fear or anxiety about the future, and laws like the Heartbeat Bill only elevate this anxiety. This makes Paxton’s speech relevant, even if at first glance it doesn’t seem that way. Overall, I think Emma did a really good job at pitching her artifact, and I’m excited to see what she does with it.