Sometimes it pays to explore your inner-child. While some speakers delved into heavy topics at the International Independent Schools Public Speaking competition, Strathcona-Tweedsmuir School Grade 11 student Kirk Steinberg discovered something a touch lighter en route to winning the Dramatic Interpretation category at St. Clements School in Toronto in late October. “Most people do something super-serious, dark like death or suicide, some issue in society,” said Steinberg, an MD of Foothills resident. “But what I did was I took the children’s cartoon character Dora the Explorer and a book about her and did a bunch of funny voices and basically re-created a kids’ show as my monologue.” He went the extra mile in his presentation, using bodywork, facial expressions and the entire stage to wow the judges. He’s a natural, he has a part in the school’s upcoming musical Mamma Mia! “I like to do something that is more humourous,” he said. “I have done different monologues before where I take a full script and do other voices.” He estimates he spent 10 to 15 hours on the speech. “Memorization is the toughest part,” Steinberg said of the 12-minute piece. “Then it is working on voices, working on movement and then fine-tuning.” He had to perform the Dora monologue three times, the opening rounds and then the finals. “When they called my name for the finals it was kind of cool,” Steinberg said. “Once you get to the finals, you actually relax. I was happy to win, but really just happy to be there.” He finished second in the radio newscast division. The participants were given newspapers before their presentations and had 30 minutes to take notes for about a four-minute broadcast. “You are not allowed to take the newspapers with you, just the notes that you prepared,” Steinberg said. “I usually do two international stories, a local story and a sports story.” His voice-work came in handy once again. “I usually try to get Donald Trump in there, because I have done a Donald Trump impersonation,” Steinberg said. “This is a soundbite from the White House’ and then pretend it was a recording of what he is playing.” His impression was good enough to put fear in reporters that they would lose their STS credentials. His stories dealt with Kanye’s visit to the White House and news concerning Ontario Premier Doug Ford and a Toronto spin dealing with the Oct. 17 legalization of cannabis. However, as CNN or Fox News viewers know, one can get too much Trump. Steinberg used his Trump impression again in the after-dinner speaking competition. “You are supposed to be like a speaker after at a formal dinner at some major group,” Steinberg said. “I decided to be the White House press secretary speaking at the correspondents dinner. “I did my Trump voice and the judges didn’t appreciate it as much as we were hoping.” He finished in the bottom third of the category – which he believes knocked him out of a chance to go to the Worlds championship. “If I had done a little bit better in the after-dinner, I might have been able to go,” he said. Still it was a worthwhile experience, he said. Public speaking is a long-time tradition at the school northwest of Okotoks. “Our school is always competitive in public speaking competitions for a reason,” he said. “We win lots of awards every year. We are doing something right.” He said coach Leonard Fink, an Okotokian, is a major reason for the school’s success. “He knows what needs to be done to be successful and he puts his speakers in a position to be successful,” Steinberg said. “He always gives us his commitment. It is kind of like our duty to him to give it back.” bcampbell@okotoks.greatwest.ca
