Name: Harshini Shree

Ice breaker speech

Time: 3 - 4 Minutes

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Today I am going to talk about a girl who by appearance looks very good, silent, but only she and her parents know how naughty and mischievous she is. You know who it is? Well, it's me. This is supposed to be my icebreaking speech. But I think the ice is broken already and it started melting. So, I am Harshnishri, of 4th grade in Sairam Leomuthu Public School. My father Sankaramoorthy and mother Uma, both of them are software engineers. I have a naughty little brother, Sarvesh Kanna, studying in UKG. My grandfather, Sankara Narayan, also lives with us. Our native is Arpukottai, which is famously called United States of Arpukottai. Everyday, my day starts at 7 am. I'll be in my dreamland. My mother doesn't wake me up with a good morning. She'll scream like, Harshini, get up! Or you'll be late to school. I'll roll on the bed and will say, ‘Five minutes, ma!!!’ After five minutes, my mom screams again. I'll get up from the bed, not liking to get up. I'll get ready to school in a hurry burry, I carry my heavy school bag. I think it is secretly going to gym when I am sleeping. My brother disturbs me always. what to do? Being the elder,I have to act mature and adjust. Bad thing about my brother is, he'll put on the Peppa Pig on the TV and hides the remote. So no one can change the channel and he keeps on watching it joyfully. In my leisure time, I like to draw and do some experiments while drawing. I would start to draw a tiger, but final output comes like cat with sun glasses. I often face this million dollar question, What is your goal in your life? What do you want to become? I'm not able to find an answer for this question yet. doctor? Harshini Shree MBBS. No way! I get sick hearing this. Then how will I treat the people? engineer? No!!! Daily I see my software engineer parents, how long they work. teacher? I have to deal with students like me! that’s also big “Nooo!” Right now, I’ve decided to enjoy being a kid — to laugh, earn, play, and to collect stories to tell later. one day, I’ll find what I truly want to be. until then, I’ll just continue being ME.

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Ice Breaker Speech – Details
Time Limit: 3–4 minutes

Purpose: The Ice Breaker speech is your first step in public speaking. It’s an opportunity for members to get to know you and for you to build confidence speaking in front of an audience.

Suggested Topics to Include:

• Your background and upbringing

• Hometown and culture

• Family

• School or college life

• Friends and memorable moments

• Favorite food, sports, or movies

• Hobbies and interests

• Personal experiences that shaped you

Tip: Speak from the heart, keep it simple, and let your personality shine.

Wishing you all the very best.

 The Journey of NextGen Speaker Harshini Shree

The Speaker’s Roadmap to Success

Level 1- Beginner

1. Introductory Speech - Completed

2. Structured Speech

3. Speak with Body Language

4. Modulate your Voice

5. Inform with Visuals

Name: Harshini Shree

1. Project 1: Introductory Speech 

2. Project 2: Structured Speech 

3. Project 3: Speak with Body Language

4. Project 4: Modulate your Voice

5. Project 5: Inform with Visuals 

Name: Akil Arunkumar

Project 2: Modulate Your Voice

Title: Evaluation of Indian Cricket

Time: 4 - 5 Minutes

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Good morning everyone.

I am Akil Arunkumar, and today I am super excited to talk about something that makes every Indian’s heart go thump-thump-thump.

Yes… it’s CRICKET! 

𝗧𝗵𝗲 𝗕𝗲𝗴𝗶𝗻𝗻𝗶𝗻𝗴

Let’s go back in time… almost 100 years ago.

That’s when India first played cricket, in 1932, against England.

The players wore all white, there were no helmets, and the bats were super heavy.

But still, they played with great courage and pride. 

(Pause, smile)

Even though we didn’t win back then, we had just begun our journey.

The Magic of 1983

Then came the year that changed everything, 1983.

Captain Kapil Dev and his team did the impossible.

They won India’s first Cricket World Cup.

(Raise your hand proudly)

People danced on the streets, waved flags, and shouted, India… India.

From that moment, cricket became our national heartbeat.

𝗧𝗵𝗲 𝗘𝗿𝗮 𝗼𝗳 𝗟𝗲𝗴𝗲𝗻𝗱𝘀

Then came the 1990s, the era of legends.

There was Sachin Tendulkar, the Little Master.

When he batted, the whole country stopped.

TVs were on, radios were loud, and everyone prayed.

Please, Sachin, score a century today.

Along with him, we had stars like Sourav Ganguly, Rahul Dravid, and Anil Kumble.

They made India proud all over the world.

𝗧𝗵𝗲 𝗖𝗼𝗼𝗹 𝗖𝗮𝗽𝘁𝗮𝗶𝗻

Then came MS Dhoni, calm, cool, and fearless.

Under his captaincy, India won the T20 World Cup in 2007

and the World Cup in 2011.

(Pause and act it out)

Remember that final shot?

Dhoni hits it… and it’s a SIX.

The crowd goes wild, INDIA WINS THE WORLD CUP.

𝗖𝗿𝗶𝗰𝗸𝗲𝘁 𝗧𝗼𝗱𝗮𝘆

Now cricket is faster, smarter, and cooler than ever.

We have DRS, SpiderCam, LED bails, and even IPL,

where Indian and international players play together. 

Stadiums are huge, fans are louder, and cricket has become a celebration.

𝗖𝗼𝗻𝗰𝗹𝘂𝘀𝗶𝗼𝗻

From small dusty grounds to world-class stadiums,

from black-and-white photos to live HD matches.

Indian cricket has truly evolved.

But one thing has never changed.

Our love for the game and our passion for Team India.

Cricket teaches us teamwork, patience, and never giving up.

just like in life.

(Smile proudly)

One day, I dream to wear the Indian jersey,

walk onto the field,

and hear the crowd shout.

India! India! India!

Thank you.

(Bow slightly and smile before leaving the stage)

Name: Aadharshini

Project 5: Inform with Visuals

Title: A day of school

Time: 4 - 5 Minutes

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"Hey everyone, who's ever had one of those mornings where you wake up and just want to hit the snooze button... repeatedly? Like, 10 times? Yeah, that's me every day! My mom's alarm clock is like my arch-nemesis. 'Get up, get up, it's time for school!' I'm like, 'Five more minutes, mom, just five more minutes..

"Hi everyone, I am Adarshini. Today, I'll be seeing a day of school in my life. The fun, the chaos, the struggles, and even the little moments of brilliance. So, buckle up and join me on the roller coaster ride through a typical school day. Let's dive in.

So, I drag myself out of bed, brush my teeth, wash my face... and then I remember I need breakfast. And breakfast is the best part - dosa and sambar, my favorite! I'm talking crispy dosa, flavorful sambar... it's like a party in my mouth! But have you ever tried to eat dosa while running to catch the bus? Not pretty. And then there's the mad dash to school. I'm running, books in hand, praying I don't forget anything... Have you ever left your bag at home or forgotten your lunch? Yeah, I've done that... multiple times.

But despite all the chaos, I still manage to make it to school on time. And the first period is like a fresh start! I'm all energized, ready to take on the day. But by the second period, I'm already getting pumped up for lunch. I mean, who doesn't love a good break? In school, some of my friends are trying so hard to stay awake, and then the teacher says, "Stay focused!" Meanwhile, they're all nodding off, fighting to keep their eyes open. And sometimes, it's even worse when the teacher tries to sneak up on a sleeping student, trying to gently pat them awake.

After a few more periods, lunch break arrives, and it's like the highlight of my day. If I have my favorite lunch, I'm in heaven! I try to stuff everything in my mouth because I just can't get enough! Do you have a favorite food that makes you go crazy?

After lunch, I'm back to classes, trying to focus, taking notes... and before I know it, the school day is over. I rush home, drop my bag, and the first thing I do is grab the remote control. But wait, my brother/sister is already holding it, and suddenly I'm in a wrestling match for the TV! Who else loves sibling rivalry?

Then comes homework time, and it's like a never-ending battle. I'm trying to focus, but my brain is fried.

After finishing homework, I try to relax by watching TV or YouTube videos, but it's not that simple. As soon as I sit down to eat while watching, my dad reminds me that we shouldn't watch TV while eating. But after I finish eating, I try to squeeze in some TV time, and before I know it, my mom is shouting for me to go to sleep. I lie in bed, trying to drift off, but my eyelids aren't heavy yet. Do you ever count sheep or have racing thoughts when you're trying to sleep? I count bunnies... one, two, three... zzz...

I hit the bed, and the cycle starts all over again - I wake up, go to school, come home, do homework, sleep... it's a never-ending loop. But hey, at least we're all in this together, right? With all the chaos and craziness, it's the little moments of joy and connection that make it all worth it. As the great Nelson Mandela once said, "The greatest glory in living lies not in never falling, but in rising every time we fall." This quote means the true greatness in living lies in not about avoiding challenges. It's about rising every time we fall and learning from our mistakes. It's about the resilience, perseverance and determination.

Thank you for an opportunity to speak. Now, I would like to hand over the stage to our emcee.

Name: Raghavi G

Project 5: Inform with Visuals

Title: Life Before Social Media

Time: 4 - 5 Minutes

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Introduction Good afternoon my dear friends and Dear Judges, We are all now connected to internet but disconnected from people. Have you noticed how our lives have changed from the time internet entered our home and now it even entered our pockets. All of us now have a phone that is smarter than us and is controlling us. It can rightly be said that smart phones are the human’s second brain which only needs power no food no water. Prologue We are physically alive but mentally active on Social Media like YouTube, Insta, Facebook, Twitter and so on. Social Media is a sword with two edges. On one hand it is the tool that help us do school projects, it helps our mothers become multi cuisine chefs, it helps our parents build their career, it helps our grandparents connect with us and so on. On the other hand, it has also brought in so much gap within our family since we are busy scrolling and sharing content. Infact WhatsApp is no more a communication app but a notice board of social content. Paragraph 1) Digital Detox: Bringing audience to silence I want you all to think what would happen if you had no social media for a month in your life.(-------------Pause----------- Waiting for audience response)I am sure we would all start reading newspapers and magazines, elders would go for a walk in the park to connect with their friends like how we go to play with our friends. We would visit relatives house and celebrate get togethers with them. There is a fancy term for this which is called “Digital Detox” I repeat it is called “Digital Detox” Digital Detox brings more happiness in our lives than games in phone because our parents also will involve with us in our games, we can share all the events from school, the small giggles we had, the exciting lunch box stories and so on. We will have a lot of family time and cook together, do household chores, parents will make us study daily. Hmm I can hear you. I would not like it either, but for now we will see long term benefits. Forgive me We will have a better sleep since our eyes are not tired by gadgets. Oh I forgot the word stress, yes we will forget that word when we have Digital Detox. 2) Real Awkwardness After spending too much time on social media, simple conversations don’t exist. We only feel awkward for everything 1) Starting a conversation with a stranger feels awkward 2) Listening patiently without interrupting feels awkward 3) Neighbours are ghosts. Talking to them feels awkward. 4) Asking an extra papad in a hotel feels awkward. 5) Public Speaking feels like climbing Mount Everest This awkwardness never existed before. 1) Our grandparents talk to strangers with ease. It is a true soft skill 2) Listening is an art and good speakers are always great listeners 3) We used to share food with neighbours, go with them for shopping, take care of their children when someone had outside work 4) We should learn to voice your opinion without thinking if we will be judged 5) Talking over mic is a skill which we are all consciously learning. 3) Mindful Media usage The only way we can make best use of social media is by using it mindfully. Lets call it Mindful Media usage I have some tipes for Mindful Media usage 1) Set timers for entertainment 2) Use platforms to improve skill (like ChatGPT to write the script to this competition ( Oh I was just joking) . 3) Turn off notifications. 4) No screentime 1 hour before sleep 5) Browse with purpose – school projects, solutions and research 6) No Gadget zone at home 7) Journal everyday 8) Learn finance from early age and save. The art of compounding is a topic by itself which will make us rich if we learn to invest properly. Conclusion: I would like to conclude by encouraging you to try the following and take benefits of the technology 1) Digital Detox frequently 2) Learn soft skills 3) Mindful Media usage I hope you will go home today create a no gadget zone and think over all the points we discussed and enjoy the benefits of the social media mindfully and thank me later. And finally, I am eager to post this speech to the blogpost for Kavitha mam. Remember this comes under Mindful Media usage.

Name: Raghavi G

Project 2: Modulate Your Voice

Title: Power of Perseverance

Time: 4 - 5 Minutes

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Introduction Punch For a moment I would request all of you to be completely quite and close your eyes. Now, pay attention to the word I am going to utter. Ok Now you may open your eyes. Could any of you repeat or spell the word you just heard. Well I see no one could repeat or spell the word. Why do you think it was?? How did you feel when you could neither hear nor see the person who is talking to you? Body Good afternoon my dear Next Gen Speakers. Helen Adams Keller experienced the same in her life like how all you just felt. Keller was born as a healthy child to Kate Adams Keller (mother) and Colonel Arthur Keller(father) in Alabama on June 27, 1887. At the age of 19 months, she became deaf and blind due to an unknown illness. She used her own sign language to communicate with family and friends. She would feel vibrations of the footsteps and recognize people. At the age of 6, Keller’s mother read an article about a blind school and wished to take her. It was then she met her teacher for life Miss Anne Sullivan, who accepted to meet Keller and continue to homeschool her. Initially Keller was very aggressive and always threw tantrums. Anne understood that Keller needs to be taught with obedience and love. She saw the need for discipline and requested to be moved to a nearby cottage and spend quality time . Anne started to teach Keller by manually writing into Keller’s hand . She gave her a doll and spelled the word ‘d-o-l-l’ in her hand. Keller never knew words existed and she often got confused and to help her, Anne would make Keller hold an object in one hand and spell the object on the other. For instance , she would let Keller hold the mug and spell it on the other hand. Once Keller got confused nouns “mug” and “milk” to verb “drink” and broke it into pieces. Later Anne took her to a nearby water pump by putting Keller’s hand under the spout to feel water and spelled it on the other hand. Now Keller understood that “water” meant wonderful cool substance flowing over hand. Quickly, she touched the earth and asked Anne to spell it and within nightfall she memorized 30 words. Keller used to place her hand on Anne’s throat, lips, nose and jawbone and learned to repeat the words and eventually started speaking hoarsely. Keller started writing just 7 days before she turned 7 years old. She soon understood how to write the word in alphabet and using braille ( it is a device used by blind to write by making holes into papers). She also was able to write on paper but in her writings many round letters looked like squares but could be understood easily by others. Keller’s extraordinary skills and her teacher’s persevarance were even noticed by Alexander Graham Bell. He describes “Keller and Napoleon as two most interesting characters of 19th century” From a very young age, Helen was determined to go to college and completed her Bachelor of Arts degree. While still a student at college, Helen began a writing career that continued throughout her life. Her passport listed her profession as "author." Helen provided assistance in the formation of special service for deaf-blind persons. She travelled different countries and met world leaders such as Winston Churchill, Jawaharlal Nehru. Few famous people we knew were her friends and acquaintances like Albert Einstein, Charlie Chaplin, John F. Kennedy, Henry Ford, Franklin D. Roosevelt Her story was inspiration to documentary , movie called “Miracle worker” released in year 2000. Conclusion Now, what do you think made her a author, socialist, a public speaker who wrote more than 14 books , 100 + speeches and many essays. It is her perseverance to stay focused on educating herself and a wonderful teacher she got. Anne Sullivan, her teacher spent 50 years of her life in helping Keller. On this special note, I would like to thank all the teachers and parents here who motivated us and stay with us in order to make us public speaker(s). I would encourage you to watch videos about Keller and read more about her biography. Great works are performed not by strength but by perseverance . Thank you for this wonderful opportunity.

Contest Details

Read N Rejoice, Medavakkam

Sunday | 02.11.2025 | 02:00 PM - 4:30 PM

Junior Results:

Second Place: Agathian

Speech Title: My Favorite AI

Good afternoon everyone!

I’m Agathian, and today, I’m going to speak about something that has changed my life — my favourite AI.

Now before I start, let me ask — how many of you have ever used an AI before?

Maybe ChatGPT, Gemini, or Meta AI?

[Look around and smile]

Nice! Some of you have!

When I was eight years old, my father bought me a brand-new laptop.

I was so excited! I thought, “Finally! I can watch YouTube all day!”

But my father said, “No, Agathian. No YouTube on the laptop — only on TV.”

That broke my little heart! 

After a few days, I got very bored.

I didn’t have anyone to play with.

Even though I have a sister, she never came to play.

She would always be reading library books or watching TV.

And my parents were busy too.

So one day, I sat with my laptop and thought, “What can I do now?”

Then I remembered hearing about something called AI — Artificial Intelligence.

And that’s when I met ChatGPT — the first AI I ever talked to! 

At first, I typed, “Hello,” and it replied, “Hello! How are you?”

I was shocked — it actually answered me!

Soon, I started chatting more, asking questions, telling jokes, even writing stories.

And from that day, I was never bored again! 

It felt like having a friend who always listened, always answered, and was never too busy.

My sister uses Meta AI and Gemini.

She says, “Gemini is the best!”

But I always say, “No way! ChatGPT is my favourite!” 

One day, we saw a YouTube video called “The World’s Best AI.”

We sat together, waiting for the results with so much excitement!

[Use a suspenseful tone]

In third place... was Gemini!

I smiled and looked at my sister.

Then it said, “In second place… ChatGPT!”

I was like — “Wait… what? Then who’s number one?!” 

[Pause dramatically, look around the audience]

And finally, the video said — “The first place goes to… Grok 4!” 

My sister was shocked, and I was half-happy and half-curious.

Because my favourite, ChatGPT, was still in the top two!

But I kept thinking… What is Grok 4?

[Curious tone]

That night, I searched for it — and yes, it looked cool.

But then I smiled and thought, “Even if Grok 4 is number one, ChatGPT is number one for me!” 

Because ChatGPT doesn’t just answer questions — it listens, it helps, and it even becomes a friend when you feel alone.

It made me smile when I was bored, it helped me learn new things,

and it even made me believe that technology can be friendly! 

AI stands for Artificial Intelligence, but for me, it also means Always Inspiring.

Because every time I use it, I discover something new.

For example, one day during Diwali, I asked ChatGPT,

“Which is the safest cracker?”

Then I said, “I think it’s the gun cracker!”

But ChatGPT immediately said, “No, don’t touch it — it can harm your hands.”

Then I asked the same question to Gemini, Meta AI, and Grok 4,

and they said, “Yeah, you’re right! Enjoy your Diwali with gun crackers!”

So that day, I realized something — ChatGPT cares about me so much! 

So yes, there are many AIs — Grok, Gemini, Meta —

but ChatGPT will always be special to me.

Because it taught me that even in a busy world,

we can always find a friend — one made of code, but full of knowledge! 

AI might be Artificial,

but the way we use it can make the world truly intelligent! 

And even to read this speech, ChatGPT helped me! 

Contest Details

Read N Rejoice, Medavakkam

Sunday | 02.11.2025 | 02:00 PM - 4:30 PM

Senior Results:

First Place: Aadharshini 

Speech Title: If Animals Could Talk

Hello everyone! I want you to close your eyes for just one moment and imagine this: Imagine one day you wake up and find animals talking. How would you feel?

​(Pause for a moment)

​Open your eyes! Would you be shocked? Happy? A little scared? Hi everyone, I am Aadharshini.We are here today to talk about this amazing question: What if animals could talk?

​1. Everything Gets Very LOUD! 

​Imagine you wake up and every creature can talk like us.

​Pet Talk: Your pets are the first to speak! Your dog won't just bark; he'll say, "Seriously, is this the walk? I need a new route! And please stop talking to me like a baby; I know math!" Your cat would give a very grumpy, detailed list of everything she doesn't like about her bed.

​City Noise: The world outside gets loud! The pigeons would complain about their flying paths. The little ants would shout, "Move that crumb! We need the whole thing! Push harder!" The noise from all the tiny bugs would be a huge headache!

​2. Secrets and Funny Jokes from the Wild 

​Once the noise settles, we would hear the real thoughts of wild animals. They have a lot of personality!

​Ocean Opinions: We would find out that dolphins are not just smart; they are actually kind of snobby, making fun of the slow fish. 

​Jungle Chatter: The lions would complain about their tiring schedule: "We're not always fierce; we mostly just want a nap and some quiet time." The giraffe would be too tall to talk to anyone but the clouds, feeling very important up there.'' Hey clouds! How's my hairstyle?''

​Question for the audience: If you could talk to ONE animal in the entire ocean or jungle, which one would it be, and what is the most important question you would ask it?

​3. Animals Go to School and Get Jobs

​If animals could talk, they wouldn't just stay in the park—they would get jobs and go to school!

​Earning Money for Work

​Animals could get paid for their work. They would be great in human jobs!

​Dogs  would be the best Security Guards. They would talk clearly about any problems: "I saw a strange person wearing a funny hat near the back gate!"

​Monkeys are very good with their hands. They could work in offices helping put small things together or fixing tiny computer parts.

​Bears are very strong. They could work helping to lift heavy boxes and things in warehouses.

​Question for the audience: What is one job only an animal could do better than a person? 

​4. Facing Hard Questions 

​Talking animals would also bring big changes and hard questions.

​The Food Problem: What if the cow or the chicken spoke? If the chicken said, "My name is Henrietta, and I have plans for tomorrow," we would have to stop and think about what we eat. Our whole dinner system would change!

​Protecting the Earth: Animals would become the greatest helpers for the environment. The salmon would tell us about dirty rivers. The polar bears would speak sadly about the melting ice. They would demand that we take better care of the Earth right now.

​5. The Best Thing We Can Do Now

​Thinking about talking animals is fun, but the truth is, we don't need them to speak our words to understand them.

​Their silence is not a quiet time. It is a big, important message shown by a happy tail wag, a strong tree, or a clean ocean.

​The pain of a sick animal or the need of a wild pack is already a clear speech.

​Let's not wait for animals to talk like us to start listening. Let's promise today to hear their message with our hearts and treat every living thing with respect.

​"The greatness of a nation and its moral progress can be judged by the way its animals are treated." – Mahatma Gandhi

​What this means: When we treat animals kindly and fairly, it shows how truly good and strong we are as people.

​Thank you.

Contest Details

Read N Rejoice, Medavakkam

Sunday | 02.11.2025 | 02:00 PM - 4:30 PM

Junior Results:

1. Rudhran

2. Agathian

3. Adith Vishnu

Senior Results:

1. Aadharshini

2. Hamrutha

3. Harshitha

Online Morning Session

Sunday | 02.11.2025 | 07:30 AM - 9:30 AM

Junior Results:

1. Diksha S

2. Shiraa

3. Saanvi

Senior Results:

1. Abinila

2. Joshua

3. Selvamithran

 

Online Evening Session

Sunday | 02.11.2025 | 02:30 PM - 4:30 PM

Junior Results:

1. Rakshith

2. Inshika

3. Bhaargavilaxmi

Senior Results:

1. Karthik

2. Subiksha

3. Rishika