PROGRAMMES | LUMEN
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Twice champion Dinesh John Peeris and finalists Ethan Chew Sheng Ee and Ryan Lim Yi Yang reflect on their experiences at these competitions .
Dinesh : “ My journey in the world of public speaking began in Secondary One . Even before I was enrolled in any sort of competition , a spark within me was ignited that set my world alight with this burning passion to speak . Encouraged by my English teacher , Mrs Mishaelle Chua , I took part in our school ’ s One Minute Gem . This would be the first time in my life where I would have to speak in front of a crowd . I was very nervous , so nervous that I was praying for a way out by any means necessary , even the school catching fire would have been alright with me . Yet , thanks to fate itself fireproofing the school , I would have to get up on that stage . The rest , as they say , is history , and it was in that moment that the teachers involved in the Orator ’ s Cup saw the potential in me , that needed to be honed and focussed .
I am extremely grateful for all the hard work and long days by my teachers that have been put in towards my training for the Oratory Tournament 2019 . My win for the junior category truly belongs to them , as I could never have done this without all their help . Thank you and God bless .”
Ryan : ” Taking part in the National Public Speaking Competition has boosted my confidence in speaking in front of an audience . The journey from the auditions to the finals has been enjoyable and has widened my learning experience . Given another chance , I would gladly participate in similar competitions to interact with other good speakers and be exposed to fresh , new perspectives .”
Ethan : “ Through the two public speaking competitions , I have been given the privilege to participate in , I gained invaluable experience that I otherwise would not have had . I learnt from the strengths and failures of others , the importance of knowing my audience when making the speech as well as to connect the seemingly unrelated topics together by noticing small details much like when one puts a jigsaw puzzle together . Though it was initially daunting to speak in front of a large unfamiliar crowd , I soon began to enjoy expressing my thoughts and opinion on issues . These and the friendships I formed have made the journey a truly worthwhile one for me .”
In our increasingly interconnected world , the ability to communicate effectively and with confidence has become more important than ever before . The use of accurate and effective English coupled with the capacity to hold conversations has the power to transform minds and behaviour and to shape a better world for all to live in .
This article is written by Ms Periasamy Angayarkanni who has been helping to prepare Upper Secondary students to participate in Speech Competitions for the past ten years . There are many reasons why she feels a child should be given an opportunity to speak to an audience and to take part in competitions . Of these , the most important she says , is the formation of character , through the development of the speaker ’ s sensitivity to the topic at hand and audience . Ms Angayarkanni retires from SJI in December 2019 , after 28 years of dedicated service , teaching English and Literature .
Facing page ( top ): Dinesh with his parents and teachers at the PESA award
Facing page ( bottom ): Dinesh receives his prized win at PESA
This page ( top right ): Dinesh beat 45 other participants to win the Orator ’ s Trophy at the National Oratorical Competition organised by Anglo-Chinese Junior College on 16 Feb
This page ( bottom left ): A passionate Ryan presenting his topic
This page ( bottom centre ): Ethan at the PESA competition