UQSUQTUUQ/GJOA HAVEN
Good pronunciation, eye contact, posture and confidence were some of the skills a dozen elementary students in Gjoa Haven sharpened when they participated in the annual public speaking competition.
Quqshuun Ilihakvik hosted the event, in its fifth year, on March 12, with a dozen students participating, including Alaira Sallerina and Charlene Porter.
Sallerina said she talked about her trip to Florida as she remembered it well and it seemed to have paid off as the Grade 5 student won the competition. She said her good eye contact with the audience and her slow speaking pace also played a role in her winning.
"I enjoyed participating and working with all the other kids," she said.
Porter, who came in second place, said she spoke of an elderly relative who recently died, who was a special person in the community as he helped a lot of people. The Grade 6 student enjoyed participating in the competition.
"I was very nervous and then, when I started reading, I got used to it," she said. "It was good to hear I was second."
Listening to the students and judging their performances were Ron Pittman, Nunavut Teachers Education Program professor, Cathy Williams from the Northern Store and Linda Hunter from social services. How the speakers opened their speech, whether they made good eye contact with the audience, pronunciation, posture and the students' knowledge of their topic were some of the things the judges were looking after, said Pittman. The students' composure impressed him.
"Actually, I was quite taken aback at how well prepared they were and how confident they were," he said.
Another topic brought up by students were three-minute speeches on the dangers of smoking and drugs, said Pittman. Wen the students spoke of their culture, Pittman said this gave him a better insight into how they live.
"It is (public speaking) the most important thing they could possibly ever do because as we all realize, it is a big world out there and you got to be able to go out and face it," said Pittman. "If you're shy, you have a difficult time doing that and those students, if they continue on this track, they're going to do well in school because they're not going to be afraid to ask questions when in doubt."
