Last November 20, 2020, Grade 7 students held their first online elimination round for the Dramatic Script Reading Competition for English Fortnight. They were required to do a script reading on the Myth of Icarus.
Ms. Maricar Abaricia, one of the freshmen English teachers, says that this competition was meant for building more talented students through the language. Ms. Maricar added that this event was specifically selected for Grade 7 because of the decision to connect it with the highlight of English Term 2, Drama. “[It] was an event aligned to the celebration of the English Fortnight . . . to apply cognitive skills—mainly speaking and reading, to show the power of the English language, to teach values, and to entertain the group at the same time,” she stated.
On December 7, 2020, it was announced that the class representatives of 7-Resilience held the champion title: Sofia Jumao-as, Zyrus Jokhi, Amanda Sophie Hernandez, and Andre Arreza. The Mover got the chance to interview the winners of this event.
"The experience of Dramatic Script Reading taught me about confidence and the power of the voice,” says Sofia. Zyrus on the other hand claims that “[This event] has taught me that you should always have fun working because that's when the best of ideas comes out.”
Sophie, who is also the Junior Editor of The Mover, says that the experience helped her in terms of creativity. “Despite all the technical difficulties, we did our best to reach the top. This experience also helped me have a closer relationship with my groupmates,” she explains.
The interviewees gave their perspectives on how they were able to achieve the character’s emotions. Sophie says that the background music she set helped guide the group to attain the right power of voice and emotion. Sofia states that she was able to achieve her character’s personality by putting her mind into it to play the character properly leading her to act out her role with her heart. The members also helped each other out, by giving advice to other members or seeking help from a teacher.
A stable WiFi connection was the biggest factor in this event because of the new normal set-up. Sophie mentions that she got disconnected when she was about to say her last line, but that didn’t bring her nor her group down. The members showed determination and courage even if they encountered hurdles along the way.
The group offered some key tips on how one can achieve a successful performance. “The key things for a successful performance are confidence, collaboration, strong emotions in speaking, and a bit of comedy,” explains Andre. He added, “Be confident, collaborate with your teammates often, imagine you're actually inside of the story, put strong emotions into your words, maybe be a little funny, and try to have a fun experience.” Sophie says to remain relaxed and put trust in your groupmates. Zyrus elaborates that one should remember to have fun while working with your team.
The Mover asked them about how they felt when they became Dramatic Script Reading champions, and one response is that it was all because of teamwork and they were glad it worked out in the end. What was also enjoyable for them was that they felt amazing being able to represent their class and bring it to the top. The winners also had many fun and memorable moments together, and even if there were mishaps especially during the actual performance day, they got through it to achieve their goals.
Always believe in yourself and your team. Always remember to have fun, relax, and do what your heart thinks is right. Winning or losing doesn’t matter in a competition that requires groups, it’s always the teamwork that counts. Together, we are stronger. Even in the new normal and just like in this Dramatic Script Reading Competition, we can still accomplish anything.
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