Thanks to her considerable public speaking skills, 10-year-old Sudbury girl Daniela Grottoli is heading to South Korea this summer.
The Grade 5 student at R.L. Beattie Public School — who gets extra academic instruction through Eye Level Sudbury — won one of four gold prizes in the North America-wide Eye Level Oratacular Speech Contest.
Because of her win, she's been invited to take part in the Eye Level Model UN Camp in South Korea this August.
While there, students will take part in an academic simulation of the United Nations, where they will play the role of delegates from different countries and attempt to solve real world issues with the policies and perspectives of their assigned country.
The Eye Level Oratacular is a public speaking competition that aids students in learning and practicing the basics of speech writing and delivery.
This year students were tasked with speaking about one thing they would change in the world. Daniela's speech was about eliminating hunger.
“It is sad to think of even one child going to bed hungry,” she said in her speech. “To know millions will is heartbreaking. We need to do better. Everybody deserves to eat.”
There were 92 finalists selected out of 2,072 registered, with 80 per cent of the judging based on criteria (topic clarity, content quality, structure, time limit, expressiveness, pacing, body language, eye contact, posture) and 20 per cent determined through online votes.
Daniela, a goalie with the Sudbury Lady Wolves, also won silver in the contest last year, and donated the $100 US she won to the Humboldt Broncos in memory of Parker Tobin.
Watch Daniela's speech here:
:
