Local kids put their speaking skills to the test today in the Annual Hamilton-Wentworth District School Board (HWDSB) Speaks Festival.
Ten students from grades four to eight independently researched wrote and presented a speech in front of their school.
CHCH Reporter Eric Vienneau was invited to Helen Detwiler Elementary School to participate as a judge in the competition.
Despite being one of the most common fear kids at the Speak Festival put that fear aside.
Students got in front of the mic to present a speech researched and written entirely on their own.
“An event like this gives students the opportunity to display their public speaking skills it gives their classmates the chance to see what I would say effective public speaking looks like and sounds like,” Kwame Djan, principal at the Helen Detwiller Elementary School said.
This was the first time the school held this sort of competition.
The participating students were divided into two levels, junior and intermediate.
Presenters from both were judged by a panel of people who use oral communication skills in their careers.
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The students were judged on communication, knowledge, thinking, and application.
Students who were up to the task of presenting a speech also had the freedom to choose the topic of their own speech.
Some students chose to present topics that relate to their lives and topics they were curious to learn more about.
“My ancestors, my cousins and my parents are from Vietnam, my grandparents too,” Jordan Nguyen, a junior-level participant said.
After all the speeches were presented the judges went into deliberation to choose the winners.
“I feel like I’m in very big shock because I didn’t think it was going to be me, because I stuttered so badly when I was up there, it’s crazy,” said Hayley Fyfe the contest’s intermediate-level winner.
Hayley’s parents also attended the competition to see their daughter perform, “it was very exciting, I’m really proud of her,” Hayley’s parents said, “she was very nervous last night getting ready for this morning, but she’s been working on it for a while, so yeah, we’re very proud.”
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“I feel very proud of myself. My great grandma is 94 and she really wanted me to get a lot of good stuff in my life winning competitions and getting girlfriends and stuff,” said Jordyn, the contest’s junior-level winner.
Despite public speaking being an extremely nerve-racking situation the kids who participated in the competition say it’s all about preparation and practice.
“I was reading it just making sure I knew how to pronounce everything, I had to re-write the entire speech so that it was better, it was just a lot of work,” said Fyfe.
The school’s principal says the competition is a valuable learning tool.
“Mistakes are important, mistakes are a part of learning, so even when students were here and some had to pause and continue, once again, it’s part of the process.”
Friday’s winners will have their speeches submitted to a school board panel and may move on to the next level.