SpeechMazeFinalist rounds
The 54 finalists spoke in seven rooms, three judges to a room.
What the top Round 1 speeches did
While room results were checked, Ghalia and the judges walked through where the top fifth of speeches pulled ahead: pacing, posture, and voice and expression.
Championship Round, ages 5 to 9
Maxon, Ava, Julia, Shriya and Christine.
Championship Round, ages 10 to 14
Eissa, Ashwini, Cadence, Mahika and Shravya.
Room Honors, special awards and Regional Champions
Seven rooms, 16 special awards and 14 regions.
Champions
Maxon won ages 5 to 9. Shravya won ages 10 to 14.
Where the top speeches pulled ahead
FinalistShravya, United StatesThey took their time
Pacing was the biggest gap. Top speakers slowed down and paused before and after their most important line.
FinalistChristine, United StatesThey stood tall and steady
Steady posture, eyes on the camera, and one breath before the first word.
FinalistEissa, UAETheir voice and face helped
Their tone rose and fell, and their expression matched what they were saying.
“I loved the strategic pauses every single finalist was using. They had me waiting for what they’re about to say next.”Ghalia Aamer, host of the final
- Pacing and Timing+1.5
- Confidence and Poise+1.4
- Expressiveness+1.2
- Creativity and Originality+0.8
- Relevance to Topic+0.7
Most speeches already had a relevant, original idea. The biggest differences were in delivery.
Your host, Ghalia Aamer
Ghalia’s grade two report card said she needed to engage more with her classmates. She joined the debate team in grade seven, competed at nationals four times and has since given four TEDx talks.
She founded TalkMaze in 2020, received the Diana Award for her work with young people, and is a graduate of Columbia Law School.