By: Martha Carlos
On November 26, 2024, the Far Eastern Private Schools (FEPS Al Shahba and FEPS Halwan) and the New Found Philippine School (NFPS) held the first-ever Inter-School Public Speaking competition with the theme: “The Voices of Confidence: Empowering Expression through Public Speaking.”
At the core of this public speaking competition, the Grades 1 to 3 students of Far Eastern Private School (Al Shahba campus) showcased their remarkable storytelling skills, captivating the audience with their heartfelt performances.
The storytelling competition officially began with our first contestant, Josephine from Grade 2, who presented “Ruby’s Worry” by Tom Percival. The story follows Ruby, a young girl whose growing worries prevent her from enjoying life. However, once she meets another child struggling with similar concerns, she learns that sharing her emotions can help lessen her worries.
This touching story captures the emotion of worry and how it can affect us in our daily lives. By talking about our feelings with other people, it enables us to ease our emotional burdens. We all have worries, and the story “Ruby’s Worry” tells it from a child’s perspective, giving us a deeper sense of understanding. Josephine’s engaging presentation—enhanced by her delightful costume and props—brought the story vividly to life.
Followed by our second contestant, Asma from Grade 1, presented “I Am Enough” by Grace Byers. The story’s theme includes the woven threads of self-worth and empowerment. No matter our race, cultural differences, or ethnicity, the story symbolizes how we are all unique in a way we cannot imagine. One excerpt from the story, “Like the sun, I’m here to shine,” shows that like the sun, we each have our own individual shine.
This comes to show that we should embrace our uniqueness and individuality. As the story says, “We both have places here on Earth.” The way Asma delivered her story was truly inspiring. Alongside the props she had, she truly conveyed the theme in a manner that gave the story life.
As the inter-school storytelling competition came to an end, we were left with a sense of appreciation for the talent. Storytelling has a charm of its own, connecting people and conveying emotions. Through public speaking, students get to enhance, express, and improve confidence with big crowds. This inter-school competition is an experience for everyone and a starting point for nurturing the next generation.