EP Students Speech Contests

DAMMAM: School students in the Eastern Province got the chance to display their abilities and hone their skills during the Students’ Fun Zone Regional Speech Contest held at the Art and Culture Society headquarters in Dammam on Wednesday. The event was recorded for future airing on Saudi Television.

More than 50 students from Orbit International School, Manarat International School, Dhahran Ahliyya, The British School, Majd International School and the International Schools Group-Dammam took part in various contests, which included Radio Rabbits, Queen of Sound, King of Sound, Dream Time Tales, Countries of the World, Amazing Advertisements, Save the Animals, Talent Zone, My Favorite Speech/Poem and Quiz Zone.

Hanan El-Gibaly, coordinator for English department student activities at the King Fahd University of Petroleum and Minerals Girls School, founded the Students’ Fun Zone and organized the contests.

She is also a television writer and presenter and is well known in local education circles for her work with youth programming and student contests. “Students’ Fun Zone is both the name of the program and the organization producing it,” explained El-Gibaly.

“The group is committed to improving communication skills for school-going children of all age levels. The program’s objective is to encourage all participants to improve their public speaking, thinking, listening, dialogue and presentation skills.”

She initially envisioned a radio program, but it shifted to a television program after she met director Abdel Raauf Al-Khulaitit during an event at the British Council. She then invited him to a speech contest she organized at International Schools Group-Dammam, which resulted in the pilot being ordered.

“Dammam Saudi TV Manager Saeed Al-Yami and my television director, Abdel Raauf Al-Khulaitit, played a special part,” she said.

“I am specially indebted to Al-Hussan Group President Rashid Al-Hussan, Raed Abu Rumman and Kauser Osman for their tremendous support and continuous welcoming of our program in their schools.”