Public speaking can be scary. But it is also an important tool
to help kids build self-esteem and gain confidence as they begin to
make their own way in life.
Hollister – Public speaking can be scary. But it is also an important tool to help kids build self-esteem and gain confidence as they begin to make their own way in life.
For the first time in the school’s history, Tres Pinos School held a speech contest Thursday to help its students learn the art of public speaking. The kids, fifth through eighth graders, recited Walt Whitman’s “Oh Captain, My Captain” and Henry Longfellow’s “Midnight Ride of Paul Revere” as well as monologues and poems they had written themselves.
All 130 students at the school participated in the contest, organized by Kristy Burchard who runs the school’s fledgling drama program.
“There were definitely nerves that came out, but I was glad to also see poise and think they handled it well,” said Burchard, who has taught drama at Tres Pinos for two years.
It used to be that Tres Pinos didn’t have enough money for a drama program. But then a group of parents got together to form the E Cubed Foundation. The organization’s goal was to raise money for not only their school, but others who had very little to spare for afterschool programs, physical education and the arts. Last year, the foundation held the Trail Ride, a horseback ride that raised $62,000 in the process.
The money was used to hire Burchard, who teaches drama to all the kids in the school, as well as an art teacher, who are are much appreciated at the school.
“We want our children to tap into their talents and have things like drama and art be available to them,” said Lou Medeiros, superintendent of the school.
Public speaking is not only useful for building self-esteem, but is vital to academic success in high school and college where classroom presentations are expected, said Medeiros. It also stands to help students with interviews, by helping them learn to express themselves clearly and succinctly.
“Children today don’t really have a lot of opportunities to formally speak on the street,” said Medeiros.
Thirty students made it to the speech contest finals and 15 won awards, which were handed out after the speech contest. Marie Hoffman, whose son Marshall was one of the finalists, said she is always appreciative of school activities that help her sixth grader gain the skills that will last him a lifetime.
“Anything that goes above and beyond the regular curriculum and builds their confidence, I think is a good thing,” said Hoffman.
Karina Ioffee covers education for the Free Lance. Reach her at (831)637-5566 ext. 335 or [email protected].
