Held on Saturday 16 May at the Adelaide Zoo鈥檚 Plane Tree Centre, this inaugural secondary school competition brought together secondary students from across the state studying Chinese as a foreign language. With only six finalists selected, PAC鈥檚 strong representation reflected both student commitment and the strength of the College鈥檚 language program.
Year 7 student, Kayden, impressed judges with a lively speech reflecting on his language learning journey, capturing the audience with humour and confidence. His performance was further elevated by a powerful rendition of the Chinese song Lone Brave Warrior, earning him second place overall.
Of the experience, Kayden shared, "Preparing for this competition helped me improve my speaking, pronunciation and confidence. At first, I was nervous to speak Chinese in front of others, but after practicing I feel more comfortable and less afraid of making mistakes."
Year 8 student, Sammy (pictured below), delivered a compelling retelling of the traditional Chinese story Yu Gong Yi Shan, showcasing both linguistic skill and cultural understanding. His live demonstration of making Dragon Beard Candy delighted the audience and judges alike, helping secure him first place in the competition.
These achievements highlight the depth of engagement, curiosity and endeavour demonstrated by PAC students in their language studies.
Both Sammy and Kayden travelled to Canberra for the National Final on 30 May. Held at Canberra Grammar School, this competition brought together only 10 finalists aged between 12 and 18 years of age from across Australia. Sammy and Kayden were among the youngest. The Final consisted of three components - a general knowledge quiz; a 3 minute speech in Chinese; and a 3-5 minute cultural performance relevant to Chinese culture. Sammy came 3rd overall and Kayden came 2nd overall. This result qualifies Kayden to compete in the global final to be held in China in August. Congratulations to both boys on these outstanding results!
