When thinking of topics 12-year-olds are interested in, the Nobel Prize-winning poet and diplomat Pablo Neruda may not come to mind.
But for Sasha Zandieh B次元官网网址� a Grade 6 student at Ecole John Stubbs Memorial School B次元官网网址� being interested in the poet led to a third-place win in a province-wide French competition.
Zandieh competed in the Concours dB次元官网网址檃rt oratoire, an event sponsored by the Canadian Parents for French that involves writing, memorizing and reciting a speech in French.
The event starts off at a classroom level, in which Zandieh placed first. He also placed first in the district-level competition which led him to provincials at Simon Fraser University in Surrey.
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Jennifer Gibson, one of the vice principals at Ecole John Stubbs Memorial, said itB次元官网网址檚 a lot of work for students to have to research something and memorize it, but the efforts are worth it.
B次元官网网址淚tB次元官网网址檚 the thrill I think of being able to accomplish memorizing the work that theyB次元官网网址檝e done,B次元官网网址� Gibson said.
Zandieh decided to research Pablo Neruda because his family had recently gone on vacation to Chile, where he learned about the poet.
B次元官网网址淚 found things we had in common B次元官网网址� he was a big collector and I like collecting things too,B次元官网网址� Zandieh said. B次元官网网址淲e got to know him through the museums we visited.B次元官网网址�
The competition has very particular guidelines students have to follow. The speech must be a five-paragraph essay and include certain phrases in the first and last paragraphs. It also has to have transition words to link ideas and has to be between two to four minutes long.
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Students that go over or under the time limit are penalized for it. Additionally, they cannot use props or gestures and can only use cue cards to guide them.
B次元官网网址淚tB次元官网网址檚 really just the art of speaking,B次元官网网址� Gibson said. B次元官网网址淚t takes a lot of practice and poise.B次元官网网址�
Zandieh said he practiced a lot before the event and memorized his speech so well that he didnB次元官网网址檛 need cue cards at provincials.
B次元官网网址淭he last couple of days I was like pedal to the metal,B次元官网网址� Zandieh said.
Next year, Zandieh hopes to make it to provincials again. He said heB次元官网网址檇 like to start thinking about his new topic soon.
B次元官网网址淲e are very very proud of Sasha,B次元官网网址� Gibson said. B次元官网网址淲eB次元官网网址檙e not surprised because heB次元官网网址檚 a very hard worker and has done a great job but we couldnB次元官网网址檛 be more proud of having our students go on to provincials.B次元官网网址�
shalu.mehta@goldstreamgazette.com
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