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Puxi Campus G8: English Speech Competition

April 22, 2025

During the YD (youth development) class period on April 10, grade 8 students participated in an extremely informative English speech competition. This speech competition required students to use a TED Talk format and depict a problem in the world that lacks attention.


The first speaker was Lydia from 8-8. She showcased her concern regarding the overuse of phones and social media by teenagers. Through data, she revealed the hidden consequences of social media usage—anxiety, addiction, and peer pressure. She also suggested three means of “anti-addiction” for social media users, drawing nods of agreement from the audience. The second speaker was Millie from 8-4, who spoke compellingly on the severe harm loneliness inflicts on modern society. She revealed to the audience in great detail how loneliness had affected the youth and the elderly; she encouraged everyone to socialize and discover hobbies in order to reduce the harm of loneliness. The third to deliver a speech was William from 8-5. Drawing on his own past experiences in dealing with negative emotions, he advised everyone to recognize the disease of depression and its impact. He pointed out that depression, being one of the most deadly diseases in the world, should attract more attention and be treated more seriously. The last speaker from the S and S+ group was Victoria from 8-5. She informed the audience about ocean acidification and its harmful effects on marine organisms, food safety, and even the national economy. She proposed to slow down and ultimately prevent this destructive process by reducing our carbon footprint and protecting our environment at all costs. Once the S and S+ group had finished their speeches, their audience of fellow students began to discuss these oft-ignored problems among themselves. It was evident that these speakers and their audience all found it important to continue raising awareness of these problems and learning more about the world we live in.









The event continued as Sunny from 8-1, the H and H+ group’s first speaker, used a memorable, emotional hook to grab the audience’s attention before speaking in detail on the Horn of Africa, whose residents are currently suffering a severe lack of food under the impacts of a long-lasting drought. This food shortage has caused an uptick in violence, disease outbreaks, and unequal treatment towards women and children in the region. She called for everyone to bring more attention to this crisis and those suffering in the Horn of Africa. Next, Audrey from 8-5 reported on the horrendous effects of conflicts in Yemen. She articulated how burgeoning political unrest in Yemen led to civil war and, eventually, one of the most severe humanitarian crises in the world; she called on the public at large to work together and provide those suffering in Yemen with as much help as they need to survive and rebuild. The third speaker, Eva from 8-8, told the story of the famous pop star Britney Spears and how she was a victim of an abusive conservatorship. Her speech revolved around the topic of human rights, detailing how the unified voices of people in the  “Free Britney” movement played a significant role in Britney’s human rights eventually being upheld and her conservatorship ended. Last but not least, Susan from 8-5 explained the water shortage issue that the South Asian region is facing. She implored the audience to not ignore this issue and emphasized the importance of conserving natural resources.









The speech competition came to an end with the unrelenting applause of the audience. After difficult decisions made by the judges, Victoria and Susan from 8-5 were recognized as champions of the S/S+ group and the H/H+ group, respectively.





Through this event, the students raised awareness of many worldwide issues that demand attention. As the event drew to a close, teachers gave compliments to all of the competition contestants, who succeeded in confidently and passionately showcasing themselves as youthful and thoughtful minds.



Written by 8-3 Adrienne

Proofread by Charlie Su

Supervised by Xu Qinyou

Pictures by 8-11 Allen, 8-12 Tiger (G8 Photography SL Group)

Reviewed by Chengli Yan, Cong Luo