A winning opportunity gives one student the platform to speak from the heart
Mikayla remembers her moment.
She walks onto centre stage at St. Louis University, peering into a crowd of 300-plus people. She stands on the same spot where Martin Luther King Jr. spoke 60 years ago.
She breathes, smiles and delivers the first lines of her speech.
“When I first learned this year’s topic for the speech competition was “How to Change the World with Optimism,” two questions came to mind. The first, “What is optimism?” The second, “Does the world need to change?”
Her trip to St. Louis in 2024 started months earlier when she heard about a speech competition hosted by Optimist International from a guest speaker at London Christian High (LCH).
Taking on the challenge
“I thought, ‘I want to do this because I enjoy speaking in front of crowds,’” says Mikayla, a Grade 12 student. That’s a passion she has fostered by serving on the worship team and helping out with student events at LCH.
But that inspiration needed to be turned into reality. Over several days, she drafted a speech about how to change the world with optimism. “My dad read it and gave me some tips,” she says, “especially about being authentic and believing in what I’m talking about.”
His advice struck a chord. “‘What I had originally written was true,” says Mikayla, “but I didn’t really feel it. So, I rewrote the entire speech.”
The rewrite worked.
Mikayla reflecting on her time at LCH
“I’ve learned so much about being a good leader from my teachers. They’ve shown me how to genuinely care for those I’m leading, meeting them where they are at and listening to their story. These abilities will go with me when I graduate.” - Mikayla, Grade 12
Speaking to the individual
“My speech focused on changing as an individual before changing the world,” she says. “I challenged the audience to look at what they can personally do, like being resilient, influencing those around you, and being thankful.”
Mikayla won the local public speaking competition in London. “I received a lot of comments from teachers, friends and spectators about my authenticity and how they felt inspired listening to my speech, which was perfect because I believed in what I was saying.”
She then placed first at the district meet in Waterloo, earning her spot in St. Louis. “That moment was so surreal, crazy and cool at the same time,” she adds. “I’ll always remember it.”
