North Cavan Public School once again delivered the only contestants for this year’s Legion Public Speaking event that was held last month. Three students in each of the Junior and Senior groups took the stage to tell their stories to an appreciative crowd.
Junior students in grades one to three were first to take the stage. All were well-prepared, demonstrating poise as they delivered their speeches. McKinley retold the story of Maggie the Magnificent, using cards to keep track of the long story. Audrey also retold a story, this one called Waiting is Not Easy, finishing her performance with her own illustration of an extensively lit night sky. Wearing a bicycle helmet, Brandon told his own story about learning to ride a bicycle, showing not a glimpse of self-consciousness as he described events that brought him to tears.
Participants in the Senior group are in grades four through six. Decked out in a suit and top hat, imitating the Monopoly Man character. Ryan provided a brief history of board games, beginning with Monopoly, which was originally called the Landlord’s Game. He is clearly a fan. Alice’s message was a bit more personal as she described the three types of diabetes, its symptoms and treatments. Allie gave an enthusiastic endorsement of Canadian gold medalist women’s hockey player, Hailey Wickenheiser, who is widely considered to be the greatest female hockey player of all time. She is also a Doctor, splitting her time between duties at Toronto Western Hospital and her role as Assistant General Manager of the Toronto Maple Leafs.
All contestants demonstrated an ability to entertain their audience, maintaining their composure while delivering creative, animated and expressive presentations. Their decision to embrace the challenge of performing in front of an audience builds a critical life skill that will serve them well in the future. Congratulations to these resourceful and poised participants and thanks to the Royal Canadian Legion for hosting these annual events that allow our youth to hone their presentation skills in a supportive environment. KG
