Standing in front of an attentive audience that picks up on your every word, gesture, and movement, can be extremely nerve-wracking for some. Public speaking and giving presentations can come naturally, but it is commonly a learned skill that you develop with practice and persistence. Joining Ayala Technology, Entertainment, Design (TED) Talk Club is an opportunity for students to be able to harness this skill and apply it in school, as well as in life later on.
“We cover different types of aspects of when you’re speaking,” Club President Kyra Lau (9) said. “We’re basically teaching people how to engage your audience more, how to talk to people, and how to have more of a clear voice.”
TED Talk Club welcomes all students, regardless of experience level with public speaking or giving presentations. The club specifically encourages students who are still developing this skill to join and learn something from the meetings, which are held every Thursday during lunch.
“[For] people who can’t speak up, I would advise them to join,” said Lau. “People who want more of an opportunity to have better college stats [should join], because we do work on things that clubs don’t usually work on.”
Being a member of TED Talk Club is a great extracurricular activity to put on a resume or college application. It demonstrates an interest in learning how to communicate well and effectively, while also highlighting the soft skills that are important to have in any occupation or profession.
“It is important to know how to speak and present in front of others, because your words can really affect a person,” Club Vice President Isabella Medina (9) said. “Presenting in front of a person can really change their mind on something.”
As of right now, TED Talk Club is just trying to find its place, given that it is a brand new club which has not quite settled in yet. The club is trying to teach students the basics of TED Talks and how to speak so that later on, they will be able to obtain experience giving speeches in high-stakes settings.
“We’re planning to do any tournaments that are related to speech, and we’re trying to plan that for next year and get into that area,” Club United Club Counsel (UCC) Representative Don Kumar (9) said. “We just got approved to introduce new speakers into our club, so we can bring in any guest speakers and get outside of just Ayala High School.”
There are countless ways speech communication is utilized in life, so it is very necessary to tap into speaking abilities in all kinds of contexts. It is particularly useful in advancing or progressing in school, work, and society.
“Throughout life, you’re going to have to interact with people, and I feel that’s the most important thing, kind of networking and talking with them,” said Kumar. “So I think that being able to publicly speak and being able to get your point across to other people is one of the most important things in life.”
