Sophia L. ’23, Raza S. ’23 and Alia N. ’22 Won the Top School Award and the Top Canadian School at the International Independent Schools Public Speaking Competition (IISPSC).
By: Lennard Fink, STS Faculty
On March 3-6, three STS students, Sophia L. ’23, Raza S. ’23 and Alia N. ’22 participated in the IISPSC which was hosted by King’s Edgehill School in Halifax, Nova Scotia; however, because of COVID-19, the tournament took place virtually. This year, six countries, 42 schools and 120 students participated making this tournament the largest of its kind in the world. Three students only can enter from North American schools and international schools are represented by six students. Each student must choose three categories to perform from a total nine.
Sophia L. ’23 participated in Impromptu Speaking, Persuasive Speech, and Oral Interpretation of Prose and in this category, she advanced to the finals. Raza S. ’23 entered Parliamentary Debate, Persuasive Speaking and Impromptu Speaking. She advanced to the finals in the latter two and placed second overall in Impromptu Speaking. Alia N. ’22 choose to enter Radio Broadcasting, Solo Acting and Persuasive Speaking advancing to the finals in all three categories. In the finals, she placed fifth in Radio Broadcasting, third in Solo Acting and first in Persuasive Speaking. This speech must follow a problem solution format and Alia N. ’22 highlighted the disappearing of the world’s coral reefs due to choral bleaching offering viable ways to solve this ecological disaster.
Winning the top Canadian school and the top school overall is determined by their scores based on the first two days of competition where students perform their categories twice. In order to win this prestigious tournament, all three must score high; therefore, all three girls are to be congratulated! Because the tournament was held virtually, they could not receive their awards, but the awards are being sent to STS and once they are here, a special presentation will take place where photographs can be taken recognizing our wonderful public speakers!
