Melisa Lovos
Crimson Chronicle
The Rotary Club Speech Contest is a global leadership and service organization that is a part of the “Rotary Club Pageant of Arts.” It connects the world with the theme, “a positive solution to life’s challenges.” Khadija Habib, TCA sophomore, is the only student in Hollywood High who competed in the speech section of the contest and won third place, receiving an award and the cash price of $250.
The contest, which includes speech, dance, art and music, was originally scheduled on March 14 at Loyola Marymount University. It was rescheduled due to COVID 19 and took place through Zoom. In the near future, some of the speeches will be uploaded onto YouTube for a display of their hard work.
With the help of her English Language Development teacher, Casey Klein, Khadija wrote her speech, and together they edited, worked on eye contact, voice volume, and body language. She would stay after school, and due to the pandemic, had to adjust to the new virtual methods.
“I am so proud of Khadija. Her work ethic, drive, dedication, and commitment to her goals is inspiring,” said Klein. “She has an incredible story, and I feel fortunate that she was in my class this year. There is no doubt in my mind that she is going to make a positive impact on this world.” Klein, along with many other HHS teachers, counselors, and administrators joined the Zoom conference to support Khadija as she gave her speech.
Khadija received help from her family and with her hard work and growth in the English language, she became fearless reciting her speech. Although they weren’t focused on winning or losing, they all worked hard to show what she was capable of, focusing on her culture, the importance of education, and her life- all in one story. In her speech, she explains her life born and raised in Afghanistan, and the positive change that moving to the U.S brought her, academically, as she now has many more opportunities than she could dream of.
“I thank my father, my mother, my brother, and my teacher Ms. Casey Klein for helping me through this journey. I am so proud that I am a part of Habib’s family,” said Khadija.