Meet The Speakers

In her speech, Sana delves into the modern obsession of Hustle Culture; a belief that constant productivity defines a person’s worth. She examines how society’s glorification of “the grind” has caused massive spikes in burnout and stress, and advocates for a shift in perspective towards sustainable success and mental health awareness. 

Sana was drawn to this topic because of how deeply hustle culture has woven itself into today's world, especially among high-achieving and gifted students who feel pressured to always be doing more. She seeks to challenge the narrative that equates busyness with success,and proposes solutions to create a healthier balance between ambition and well-being. By exploring how structure, rest, and purpose can coexist with drive, her speech encourages a reimagining of what ‘success’ truly means. 

This talk highlights the importance of fandom spaces for young people, challenging the stigma surrounding crazied fans and cringey online spaces in favour of benefits such as media analysis, critical thinking, and developing skills and community. Through the power of shared passion, both individual and societal benefits can and should be reaped. In a world where low literacy rates across both youth and adult populations are prominent and political tensions are higher than ever, fandom spaces and the skills they promote should not be diminished. As a bona fide fandom girlie, Evelyn has seen the power of fandom both in introspection and for other people across the globe; beyond simply sharing her passions, Evelyn firmly believes that the good in fandom is beneficial to all. 

Judgement is inevitable, so you might as well enjoy the ride. Meet Sofia Ibrahimi, a student exploring what it means to be social in a world where fear of judgment often holds us back.

 Sofia’s speech explores what it means to be social beyond popularity or performance. As someone who enjoys connecting with others, she wanted to share the small lessons and honest moments that have helped her build confidence and form meaningful relationships. Through personal stories and reflections, Sofia hopes to encourage others to embrace awkwardness, let go of judgment, and find comfort in being themselves. She’s seen firsthand how personal fears have held people back from friendships and self-confidence, and wants to share that even the most confident of people struggle with moments of doubt. Sofia hopes to inspire others to embrace authenticity and lean into discomfort, recognizing that being social isn’t a skill reserved for a few, but a mindset that can transform how we see ourselves.

Aiza’s speech explores the profound importance of family stories and how they shape our identity and values. Aiza has always been captivated with history from a young age, specifically family stories. Growing up, she spent a lot of time listening to family members tell stories from their past and looking at old photographs. What began as curiosity quickly turned into a realization that engaging with these stories was more than a mere pastime, acting as a bridge between generations. In her speech, Aiza discusses how family stories help connect us to our culture and feel a sense of belonging, drawing on psychological research that links storytelling to higher self-esteem and better competence socially. She also examines how storytelling plays a crucial role in preserving cultural heritage, which is important in the rapidly globalizing we live in today. Ultimately, Aiza hopes her speech will allow more people to cherish their own family narratives.

Hi! My name is Arunika Sakthivel. I am in Grade 10, and I am speaking on Societies' Expectations of Friends and Healthy Solitude. Societies' Expectations of friends and Solitude are surrounded by a very misleading stigma, and I want to disprove that. I came up with the idea to speak on this issue when I was personally feeling lost and alone without my friends, and decided to embrace solitude. I hope to encourage those who listen to my speech not to chase society's expectation of friends and to learn to embrace healthy solitude. 

Hi, I’m Ella Zhang, and I’m currently a grade 10 student. Today, I’ll be speaking about the unknown dangers of food additives and their impact on society's health. My speech examines the risks of food additives and the long terms consequences associated with these substances, as well as how they are gradually influencing our society. I chose this topic because learning about it at a young age left a lasting impression on me and continues to shape the way I view food. I believe it’s essential for us as a society to to be informed about what we eat. Through this speech, I hope to raise awareness and encourage others to make more informed choices on their food choices.