Kudos Elementary Speech and Debate Team Wins 2 Golds, 2 Bronzes, and 1 Fourth Place Finish
- Kudos College of Youth Leadership
- Aug 6, 2011
- 2 min read
Published August 6, 2011
The student speech and debate team from Kudos Youth Leadership Academy recently competed once again against mainstream students at the Southern California Elementary Fall Speech and Debate Tournament, earning outstanding results: two championships, two third-place finishes, and one fourth-place award. These results surpassed their already impressive performance at a middle school tournament just one month prior.
The tournament took place on November 30 at Ribet Academy in Los Angeles. Kudos sent ten students to compete, facing nearly one hundred top young speakers and debaters from prestigious mainstream schools. Despite the strong competition, Kudos students gave exceptional performances and brought home five awards. Both students and parents were thrilled and deeply grateful for the training provided by Kudos.
The tournament organizer from Ribet Academy announced the following results: Kudos student Sarina Liang won the Poetry category; Century Yang took third place in Oratorical Interpretation; and in the Expository (informative presentation) category, Kudos students nearly swept the awards with Cynthia Yang winning first place, Emily Chen taking third, and Caty Szeto placing fourth.
Experts at the event pointed out that with just ten students, Kudos achieved a 50% win rate, a higher proportion than many mainstream schools such as Wilshire Elementary.
Principal Laura Lin of Kudos shared that in preparation for this competition, Kudos made a significant investment by inviting Professor J. Edward Stevesen, a speech and debate professor at California State University, Northridge, to lead intensive training sessions. He and his college students worked closely with the young participants, coaching them on how to select compelling topics, memorize content, practice delivery, and perform with confidence. With the added support and dedication of parents, the students ultimately delivered a stellar performance.
Principal Lin emphasized that all students performed well, and those who did not win awards should not feel discouraged — with continued practice, they are sure to stand out in the future.
At the end of October, Kudos’ middle school team had already seen success at a competition held at Jefferson Middle School, winning first, second, and third place. This most recent performance marked yet another level of achievement.
Kudos is the kind of educational institution that spares no effort in cultivating young leaders. In just two tournament appearances, its students have earned a total of eight awards, inspiring the school to push even further and plan more training opportunities for children.
More importantly, these competitions have prepared students for even greater challenges. In the coming summer, we hope to take our students to out-of-state tournaments, allowing them to broaden their horizons beyond California.
Principal Lin also reminded parents that there are three more competitions scheduled in January, March, and May of next year. Parents who wish to help their children gain strong public speaking and debate skills are encouraged to contact Kudos at (626) 286-6889!
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