Last Saturday April 23rd, our students Valentina Fuentesand Valentina Obrador from 12th Grade E represented our school in the annual Public Speaking Competition organized by The English Speaking Union Chile in Santiago. This year event was held at the Grange School and there were twenty five schools participating with a total of forty five contestants, who showed their best oratory abilities to get the possibility to pass the different stages and get the chance to represent our country in London this coming May. Every year the competition seems to be tougher, therefore richer. Our representatives did a great job, mastering public speaking skills and a high English proficiency, they were acknowledged and congratulated by their fellow contestants as outstanding orators and fair opponents.
As it has become a tradition, our school invited our TISLS Public Speaking 2015 finalists to accompany our contestants to this enriching event. Isidora Fajardo, María Paz Estay and Gadir Hassan travelled with Valentina Fuentes and Valentina Obrador, accompanied by Miss Mónica Zepeda. During the event, the group had the opportunity to listen to sixteen prepared speeches and eight impromptu speeches, following guidelines to evaluate and appreciate speeches content and delivery. They were able to share some of the experience with last year’s Chilean representative in London and this year’s winner. Our students took also the opportunity to talk and spend some enriching time with Mr. Alan Mackenzie, ESU Chile Chairman. Mr. Mackenzie acknowledged the level of English of our students and their capacity to evaluate and predict the winner.
The group of five students fully represented The International School La Serena along the trip and through the competition. They showed disposition to help and support our competitors and the enthusiasm to make of the activity an enriching process for each of them. There were constant words of support to their classmates and open signs of gratitude towards the accompanying teacher and our school for the great opportunity they were given.
Valentina Fuentes and Valentina Obrador showed great commitment and enthusiasm along the process of preparation during school hours and in their own spare time. They were concentrated in their participation, but also showed joy and good will in every step of the day’s competition. Congratulations to both of them and the whole group, it was a great experience for students as well as for the teacher.
