By: Lennard Fink, STS Faculty
STS Middle and Senior School Speech students have been enjoying great success this year, winning various medals, trophies, and awards which were presented to them during an awards ceremony at both the Middle and Senior School assemblies on Tuesday, April 19.
The World’s Debating and Public Speaking Championships
Bolu K. ’23 and Alia N. ’22 represented STS on the Canadian Team at the World’s Independent Schools Public Speaking Championships held virtually from Country Day School north of Toronto.
115 students from 13 countries participated in the World’s tournament and Bolu K. ’23 and Alia N. ’22 represented Canada and our school brilliantly.
Bolu K. ’23 was chosen as one of 14 students representing Canada based upon being in the top seven at the Senior Canadian National Tournament and Alia N. ’22 was selected from the International Independent Schools Public Speaking Championships. They each competed in four events, Parliamentary Debate, Impromptu Speaking, Persuasive Speech, and Interpretation of Prose.
The top 20 students competed in the finals and congratulations to Alia N. ’22 who advanced to the finals in Impromptu Speaking and Interpretation of Prose.
Bolu advanced to the finals in Impromptu Speaking. The top three students in each category then advanced to the Grand Finals where Bolu K. ’23 won second place in the World in the category of Impromptu Speaking. The caliber of speakers at this tournament is outstanding and to advance to the finals is a significant achievement so congratulations to both Alia N. ’22 and Bolu K. ’23!
Middle School Provincial Speech Tournament Winners
- Oral Interpretation of Prose, second place: Ava F. ’26
- Solo Acting, second place: Lily K. ’26
- Persuasive Speech, first place: Arnaz S. ’26
- Solo Acting, first place: Amaara L. ’26
The second awards given out were for the National Qualifying Tournament which qualified students to compete at the Junior Canadian to National Speech Tournament.
Students had to compete in four events including Persuasive Speech, Impromptu Speaking, Interpretation of Prose of Poetry, and Parliamentary Debate. The top seven students competing at this tournament are selected to represent Alberta at the National Tournament. Congratulations to Arnaaz S. ’26 who placed second overall at the tournament, and Ava F. ’26.
Arnaaz S. ’26 and Ava F. ’26 on May 13-14, 2022 will represent Alberta and STS at the Junior National Canadian Public Speaking Competition held at Mulgrave School in Vancouver and we wish them well!
Senior School Awards
The following students won awards at the Provincial Speech Tournament:
- Impromptu Speaking, third place: Raza S. ’23
- Oral Interpretation of Prose, third place: Alia N. ’22
- Original Oratory or Persuasive Speech, second place: Bolu K. ’23
- Impromptu Speaking, first place: Jasmine L. ’23
- Oral Interpretation of Poetry, first place: Emma M. ’22
- Oral Interpretation of Prose, first place: Sophia L. ’23
- Self Authored Poetry, first place: Kailee M. ’22
- Duet Acting, first place: Riviera S. ’23 and Graydon G. ’23
The second awards were given to students who competed at the Alberta Qualifier for the Senior Canadian National Tournament.
At this tournament, students had to compete in 4 categories including Oral Interpretation of Prose or Poetry, Impromptu Speaking, Persuasive Speaking and Parliamentary Debate.
- Overall, third place: Raza S. ’23
- Overall, first place: Bolu K. ’23
Bolu K. ’23 and Raza S. ’23 win the Bev Daylan Award for being in the top seven to represent Alberta at the Canadian National Speech Tournament.
Canadian Senior National Speech Tournament
Bolu K. ’23 won second place in Interpretive Reading and was also in the top seven students earning a spot to compete on the Canadian team at the World’s Individual Debating and Public Speaking Championships.
International Independent Schools Public Speaking Championships
In March our students competed at the International Independent Schools Public Speaking Championships.
At the tournament, each North American school can send only three students and Sophia L. ’23, Alia N. ’22, and Raza S. ’23 represented STS. Each student must compete in four events competing twice in each event. The school with the highest score then determines the top school. These girls won the top Canadian School and the top School overall out of 41 schools competing from six countries.
- Impromptu Speaking, second place: Raza S. ’23
- Solo Acting, third place: Alia N. ’22
- Persuasive Speaking, first place: Alia N. ’22
Special Congratulations to Alia N. ’22 who was fifth place overall out of 120 competitors.