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CDS Students Set to Shine on the International Public Speaking Stage

October 16, 2026   ·   0 Comments

The Country Day School in King is sending three students to compete in the International Independent Schools’ Public Speaking Competition (IISPSC) this week.

Students from China, South Korea, India, Bermuda, Canada and the U.S. will be convening on the campus of Maclachlan College in Oakville for three days of camaraderie and stiff competition.

The most senior member, Adhya Chandradat, competed at IISPSC last year in Portland, Maine, and qualified and competed in the World Championships in Bristol, UK, last April.

She is excited to compete in three categories: Persuasive, Interpretive and Impromptu (her favourite).

For her persuasive speech, she has chosen the topic of overparenting, which is when parents are super involved in their kids’ day-to-day lives in the desire to shield them from difficult situations or to help them succeed. Even though parents mean well, it often does more harm than good because kids don’t get the chance to learn from their mistakes. For her interpretive piece, she is reading an excerpt from Sophie Kinsella’s book Finding Audrey where a young girl suffering from Social Anxiety Disorder has a massive panic attack in a Starbucks and is helped by her friend.

This will be the first IISPSC for both Sasha Nigul and Charlize Bianchi. Both girls are competing in Persuasive, Interpretive and Impromptu categories. Sasha got involved with the Public Speaking and Debate team last year, and did very well at the Nora McRae tournament last May. She and Charlize tied for 3rd in Persuasive and Sasha tied for 3rd in Impromptu.

“I’ve always loved to talk and enjoy drama, so it was a natural fit.”

Sasha’s persuasive speech is on the potential dangers of elderly driving.

“We need to improve the testing for elderly drivers, not as a means to decrease their independence, but to keep them safe. At the same time, we should be improving public transit so they can still get to where they need to go.”

Her interpretive piece is based on the novel This Is Where It Ends by Marieke Nijkamp, which explores the devastating impact of a school shooting. As a competitive dancer herself, Sasha connects deeply with the main character, Autumn, a dancer who loses her mother in a car accident on the way to one of her recitals.

In the aftermath, Autumn’s father and brother blame her and her passion for dance for her mother’s death. As the family continues to unravel over the next two years, Autumn’s brother ultimately channels his anger into a school shooting.

“I want to be able to touch people in the audience, both judges and my fellow competitors, and have them understand the story.”

Charlize shared that she was always more of a quiet kid, but now her favourite category is interpretive reading and she is excited to read an excerpt about when Dobby comes to visit from the second Harry Potter book, Harry Potter and the Chamber of Secrets.

“I enjoy getting into character and the accompanying voices,” she explained with a smile.

The topic of her persuasive speech is the dangers of e-scooters. “Kids think it’s okay to drive an e-scooter like a car, but there are no seatbelts or windshields. The increase in injuries has risen sharply and many are due to high speeds and minimal protections.”

“It is always so inspiring to see students using their voices to address issues that are so relevant in today’s world,” said veteran coach Kerstin Wyndham-West. “From the challenges of overparenting and improving testing for elderly drivers to the growing safety concerns surrounding e-scooters, these three students are tackling timely community issues with passion, insight, and a commitment to educating their audiences.”

We wish all three public speakers the very best as they head out to compete in this annual speaking event alongside their three incredible coaches Ms. Wyndham-West, Mr. Robinson and Mme. Davidson. This tournament qualifies students to attend the World Individual Debate and Public Speaking Tournament held next spring in Shanghai. CDS has qualified at least one individual (and sometimes three) for the past 19 years!

By Kim Sillcox

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