20th Thought: SoM Inter-class Public Speaking Contest

Oh God. December 21st of 2015. This is the first day of our culminating activity for the SoM English term. This is the Inter-class Public Speaking Contest, the competition for the SoM students' Public Speaking 2. Held at the APC Auditorium and organized by the English Resource Center and APC Speaks, this contest serves as "the only chance to make the impossible happen." What do I mean by that? I mean that whoever gets into the final round would have an excellent grade regardless of his/her daily performance throughout the term. Of course that would be the business there. That's why every speaker in this contest prepares themselves to their utmost capacities to get at least to the final round.



For the elimination round of this contest, the speakers, who are composed of at most five selected students from each block, would be divided into three groups. Each group will be assigned into their respective rooms where they will deliver their speeches. Then the judges for each room would select three outstanding speakers who will proceed to the final round. Their speeches should revolve around the theme "The cult of celebrities and fantasies... a Filipino obsession?"


While the contestants were having their elimination round, the organizers held fun activities for the audience. I didn't plan on joining the activities because I was busy memorizing the speech for a speech activity in my other subject, so I turned a deaf ear on the stage. Unfortunately, I was called onstage to participate and I can't reject the "offer" because it was a professor who called me (an unlucky day?). The activity I joined was the Speed Speech. It was done last time in the inter-high school public speaking competition and I was part of the audience so I know how it works. That was the first time I joined in a gimmick of an event here at APC. I had fun though my stage fright was killing me. If it was a contest of singing Japanese songs, I would have no tension to feel and just perform (lol).


We had the greatest of fun in this next activity because our classmates Kurt and Kuya Bayog were our representatives. Pairs of students from each block should make a speech in which the photos that will flash onscreen should revolve around the main topic to be given to them. Our representatives' speech was more of a stand-up comedy act rather than a formal speech delivery.

Here's a shot of the demonstration by Miss Nina :)


After that, the contestants were back in the auditorium. We really hope the representatives of our block made it to the finals. Some of them made it to the finals. Ate Ali, Mina and Dea to name them.

Ate Ali's speech really hit me hard straight to the heart. Her speech was about her love story that she thought was like the movies or TV series. We had the same experiences. I mean the part wherein it was the guy who lost hope and gave up on us. It had me crying when she presented it to the class for proofreading, proof-HEARING rather (lol), and when she delivered it in the auditorium.


Before the program ended, there was an intermission number of slam poetry by an APC Speaks member. It reminds me of Juan Miguel Severo, the slam poet online sensation in the Philippines known for his heartfelt delivery about love. Maybe I should try composing one one of these days but I'm pretty sure I'll be composing a Tagalog one. It's easier for me.



The event was a success and an enjoyable one though the winners will be announced on the second day of the culminating activity.