Emily Kim, who is a Year 12 student at North Sydney Girls High School, claimed the national title of the Plain English Speaking Award on Monday.
The competition aims to encourage the effective use of plain English through a prepared speech and an impromptu speech by each candidate.
The teenager, who was representing New South Wales, had given her prepared speech called ‘The P Word’ on society’s reluctance to discuss menstruation, while her impromptu speech on the topic ‘Ignorance is Bliss’ looked at how privilege impacts one’s outlook on those less fortunate.
She moved to Australia with her family from South Korea at the age of five and did not speak any English at the time.
Emily Kim receiving her award. Source: Emily Kim
She says her first attempts at public speaking in primary school made her cry, and she only became comfortable with it when she began to do it in secondary school two years ago.
Her parents were on hand at the final in Melbourne to congratulate her.
“For them it is quite surreal that a child they bought to Australia who couldn’t speak enough English to ask to go to the bathroom at school will now represent Australia in public speaking,” Ms Kim said.
“It is very rewarding for them to know how far we have come as a family since we arrived 13 years ago.”
She will head to London in May 2018 to represent Australia in the international final.
