“’This class covers the essence of good writing and this first essential element is the thesis statement”, the college professor stated on the first day of class.
“What’s a thesis statement?” The girl sitting next to me leaned over to ask. And not only did I know, but I knew everything else in the class! This is just one example of how I was completely prepared for college. The joy in the ICS graduates’ voice was evident as the success was shared. The shoulders, the walk, the voice, all displayed confidence from a difficult task attempted and fulfilled. This may seem a small thing until one knows the rest of the story. This 2018 graduate came to ICS at the age of 14 from a foreign country with very limited English. In four years, he not only learned English and completed all of the requirements to graduate ICS; he also took 3rd place in the State Speech and Debate tournament in Extemporaneous Speaking.
Confidence comes from attempting something difficult and being encouraged to pursue it until success is achieved. There may be setbacks and failures along the way, but the encouragement of others can restore confidence when the inner self desires to quit. Whether it’s our youngest friends who are first learning their ABC’s or our oldest students who are writing for Advanced Placement and SAT exams, ICS teachers are creating challenges, supporting students, and celebrating their successes.
“I took Speech and Debate because I have a stuttering problem and Mrs. Phinney said this was the best place to work on it”, said a freshman. “What do you want to talk about?” I asked, and we began writing his speech. He found his passion and wrote and practiced his speech. On the way to the first tournament, he hardly spoke at all. He went, delivered his speech three separate times to three separate judges, and won a trophy! The whole team celebrated with him and from then on, he was hooked. He kept writing, practicing, and competing. By the end of his sophomore year, that stutter had disappeared and, in his senior year, he was a respected and confident contributor in classes. This young man morphed from a quiet and shy freshman with a stuttering problem to a confident young man currently attending college.
These are two small examples of how ICS builds confidence in students. Every day, students walk into a building where their teachers, classmates, and most importantly, God, have their back. Students can come out of a speech or a test thinking they have completely failed, but then God has worked in a way that only He can to bring about His results. For example, when a competitor from another school mocked one of our female debaters, she chose to trust God and not respond. Not only did she win the debate, she won the entire tournament! She learned a valuable lesson to put her confidence in God. 2 Corinthians 3:5 reminds us that our confidence comes from God and our purpose is to serve Him in love. Every day, ICS teachers at every level are committed to equipping and inspiring students to thrive confidently in God’s world.
A few of our 2019/2020 Speech and Debate team members
Written by Jacqueline Croswhite, Speech and Debate Coach, HS English, Social Sciences, and International Program Coordinator