When COVID-19 started to impact our community, one of the first events affected was Jewish Federation’s annual Public Speaking Contest. Originally scheduled for March 12, 2020, the event was indefinitely postponed for public health and safety reasons.
Some good news: a digital edition of the popular event is back! Students can now submit a video of themselves delivering their prepared speech, which will then be reviewed by a panel of judges. Video submissions will be accepted until May 26, 2020, with an awards ceremony following on Zoom on June 7, 2020 at 7:30 p.m.
“Public speaking helps young people organize their thoughts about a topic and gain confidence about sharing their ideas with others,” says Lissa Weinberger, Jewish Federation’s manager of Jewish education and identity initiatives. “We’re very excited that we can bring back this event so soon, in a format that enables everyone to participate safely.”
While the delivery format of students’ speeches has changed, the other contest details have not. The contest remains open to students in grades four to seven from across the region, and there is also a category for Hebrew speakers. Students can once again choose from a wide range of Jewish education topics or opt for a subject of their own choice, and then prepare a three-minute speech. Read more about the contest here.
Please note that students who were previously registered for the original March 12 contest must register again; new participants are also welcome. To learn more about how to register and submit a video, click here. The deadline for applications and to submit a video is May 26th, 2020.
The 32nd edition of the Public Speaking Contest is presented by Jewish Federation and supported by the Jewish Community Centre of Greater Vancouver, the Isaac Waldman Library and State of Israel Bonds.