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Redwood City School District students showed out at a long-running statewide Mandarin speech competition recently.
The youngsters from RCSD’s Mandarin Immersion program housed at Kennedy Middle and Orion Alternative Elementary schools notched top finishes, including first place, at the 50th speech contest of the Chinese Language Teachers Association of California (CLTAC).
“Seeing the children achieve such excellent results in the contest fills me with immense excitement and pride,” Sheila Seeberger, a parent volunteer who helps coach the RCSD team, said in an email to the Pulse. “This award carries significant weight. It stands as a testament to the enduring charm and appeal of learning Chinese language and culture.”
The contest, held April 12 at Menlo School in Atherton, drew 435 competitors from more than 40 schools, according to Yue Li, president of CLTAC based in Monterey.
The annual tournament with 100 more participants this year than last “is our signature event,” Li told the Pulse in an email. “It’s important to continue offering the contest because it provides a platform for Chinese learners to demonstrate their language abilities and cultural understanding. This event serves as a driving force for them to study Chinese with motivation and a clear goal to work at.”
Added Li: “Beyond academics, it also builds confidence, connects learners to a broader community and preserves traditions that give students a sense of continuity and belonging. Keeping it going ensures that future students can benefit from the same opportunities for growth, recognition and inspiration.”
Contestants compete in different groupings based on their Mandarin-learning experience and grade level – elementary, middle school, high school or college.
They deliver a speech within an allotted time on a certain topic, such as family, a favorite sport or learning Mandarin. They are evaluated on pronunciation, cadence, content and other elements.
“Thanks to the extensive preparation (the RCSD students) undertook with their teachers and parents, they stepped onto the stage with a strong sense of assurance and immense confidence,” Seeberger said.
But because “it was, after all, a competition, some nervousness was inevitable when facing the judges and the audience,” she said. However, “I observed that once they found their rhythm, they became completely immersed in the artistry of language and the exchange of ideas, successfully channeling their nervous energy into a truly brilliant performance.”
Among the first-place finishers were Seeberger’s two children, Ryan and Nia, who both attend Kennedy.
Orion fifth-grader Clara Matthews also finished first in her grouping.
“Clara has been participating in the contest since first grade,” said her mother, Heather Stamper. “She typically starts preparing about six weeks before the contest. … She was extremely proud of getting first place and is highly motivated to return next year. We really appreciate the opportunity for her to participate every year as she learns important life skills such as speaking to an audience under pressure and expanding her Mandarin vocabulary.”
Sheil Kee, another parent volunteer and coach for the RCSD team, noted that preparing for the contest included tutoring sessions hosted by teachers after school, students crafting speeches and practicing their delivery over several weeks, and a mock competition.
The CLTAC contest is widely participated in by various Mandarin-immersion schools, Kee said. While many of those schools are private, RCSD represents one of the few public ones, “and we have been consistently having high performance with numerous wins in this contest for the past six years.”
For the RCSD students to have such a performance, she added, “it is truly an achievement and a testament of the quality of this Mandarin Immersion program.”
Kee’s child, Ezel Aksel of Kennedy, captured second place. Another Kennedy student, Amelia Velleno, finished third.
Other top finishers from Orion were Anara Fung (second), Melody Chan (third) and Marceline Tran (third).
Honorable mentions were Alexander Chillarige, Isabella Ngo, Klaire Oh, Jaime Sun and Nora Yuan – all of Orion.
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