a speech about education in sinhala

• New Way To Sinhala language skills development

Let’s associate with friends – Grade 7

Let’s take care of the elders – Grade 7

Value of dhamma school education – grade 7.

• Values and principles

Simple Idea…

Dhamma School in Sri Lanka was founded by Henry Steele Olcott. The first Dhamma School was the Vijayananda Dhamma School in Galle which was started on 3rd August 1895. The All Ceylon Dhamma School Day is also on the 3rd August.

This Essay has 193 words

Total number of words to be = 150 Total Marks = 14

Sinhala essay :- Value of Dhamma School Education (Daham pasal adyapanaye agaya)- Grade 7

Shirantha Perera

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Reading and Writing Sinhala

• First Online: 12 June 2019

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• Marasinghe A. D. K. Wijaythilake 10 &
• Rauno Parrila 11  

Part of the book series: Literacy Studies ((LITS,volume 17))

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Sinhala is one of the two official languages in Sri Lanka spoken by about 74% of the population. It belongs to the Indo-Aryan family of languages and is written with a distinct, highly cursive akshara script. The extensive Sinhala akshara set (600 plus) is mostly consistent from akshara to sounds, and the basic literacy rates in Sri Lanka are high. Advanced literacy skills, however, require extended study due to strong diglossia: Spoken Sinhala has been open to influences from Dravidian (mainly Tamil) and European (Portuguese, Dutch, and English) languages, but Literary Sinhala has mostly maintained the classic vocabulary, spelling, and grammar. As a result, spelling and writing are complicated by significant differences between the two forms. In this chapter, we will first describe both forms of Sinhala and then review the limited existing research on Sinhala literacy.

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Wijaythilake, M.A.D.K., Parrila, R. (2019). Reading and Writing Sinhala. In: Joshi, R.M., McBride, C. (eds) Handbook of Literacy in Akshara Orthography. Literacy Studies, vol 17. Springer, Cham. https://doi.org/10.1007/978-3-030-05977-4_11

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Smart Education: Digital revolution of the future in Sri Lanka, pioneered by Abans

Friday, 10 July 2020 00:00 -     - {{hitsCtrl.values.hits}}

Smart Education is a relatively new concept to the education industry in Sri Lanka. However, the COVID-19 pandemic forced the closing of schools and other educational institutes in Sri Lanka for more than two months. This unexpected situation created severe issues of meeting syllabus deadlines and

finding alternate methods of conducting lessons, to ensure students do not fall behind in their studies. During this period, a major transition into Smart Education took place rapidly, since many people were forced to accept that the digital era and digital solutions were now an integral part of their lives for survival in this day and age.  Abans holds a prominent position in the transformation of the education industry in Sri Lanka, from conventional teaching into Smart Education. Abans Group PLC General Manager Chathura Jayawardana sat down for an interview to offer an in-depth insight into the diverse aspects of Smart Education solutions offered by Abans, and its role in taking education to the next level in Sri Lanka. 

Q: What are your thoughts on Smart Education? Why is it important in the future of learning, and what are the benefits in shifting to Smart Education?

A: As you know, conventional education has consisted of old-school methods where a teacher uses a blackboard to conduct her lessons, and her students use pens and books to take down notes. Study and learning materials were textbooks, paper-based tutorials and the aforementioned notes. Examinations and assessments were conducted in a rigid and restricted manner. Educational information was collected manually and records were not digitalised. Due to the lack of connectivity and open communication between the teachers and students, the full potential of both students and teachers were not realised.  Thus, the need for a more innovative and effective solution for teaching was necessary, and the concept of an interactive class was introduced to the education sector in Sri Lanka. Since the advent of Smart Education globally, it is imperative that our students and teachers are also up-to-date with new technology, more knowledge and better ICT skills, to keep up with the rapid progression in the rest of the world. 

Q: What is the role of Abans in pioneering the influence of Smart Education in Sri Lanka? Tell us about Abans’ experience in the Smart Education field. 

A: Abans Group PLC is a 50-year-old company with a longstanding reputation for trust and empathy towards customers and providing them a better way to life. Building upon that stature, we entered the ICT industry in Sri Lanka 20 years ago, with the evolution of computer technology. Having introduced the HP brand of laptops to the country, and then venturing into public projects that focused on Smart Education five years back, Abans has paved the way for Smart Education solutions to elevate students to new dimensions of learning experiences, and introduce teachers to more innovative approaches of conducting lessons.  Our main objective was to create a Smart Student and that’s how the need for Smart Classrooms arose. In keeping with this, we have deployed Smartboards to over 1,200 schools island wide (both government and private) and successfully installed over 270 fully functional Smart Classrooms. Other types of Smart Education devices have been deployed by us to over a 1,000 schools and educational institutes.  

Q: What do Smart Education solutions consist of and how do they function?

A: The Smart Education solutions offered by Abans are mainly comprised of devices, learning management, training and assessment, with the purpose of increasing connectivity, engagement and the education experience via innovation. The age-old blackboard is replaced by an All-In-One Smartboard and books are replaced by PCs, where teachers and students can engage in a more interactive manner via smart devices and software.  The main focus lies in Smartboards which are connected to PCs, and enable the teachers to conduct lessons using any kind of software. The lessons can be in the form of images, text, videos, 3D and all types of multimedia, that can be viewed by students in real time via connected PCs. Be it in the same classroom or a remote location, all content can be viewed, saved and shared by the teacher to the smart devices of the students at anytime from anywhere.  Within the Smart Classroom, connected student PCs enable teachers to give them assessments and projects that can be completed then and there and evaluated by the teachers. All activity on the PCs can be monitored and controlled by instructors, thereby making it a safe experience as well. The lessons can even be videoed or broadcast from another PC handled by the teacher. 

Q: What are the Smart Education product brands offered by Abans? Tell us briefly about the different Smart Education products available at Abans.

A: We are proud to say that we have the largest number of international brands under our roof. HP, Acer, Apple, and MSI – ranked No. 1, 3, 4 and 5 respectively in the country, are the globally reputed names made available by us. We also have our very own Abans brand. Other brands include Lenovo, Haier, Fit Touch, BOE, Express Luck and Mythware. Our tactical positioning of these brands have proven quite successful, since we are ahead of the competition.  We offer many diverse devices that support Smart Education such as Smart Boards, Interactive White Boards, Student PCs, Teacher PCs, Fully Functional Smart Classrooms, Learning Management Systems, Distance Learning Multi-Vision Solutions, Digital Education Content and 3D, as well as Smart Classroom Accessories which consist of charge trolleys, wireless network solutions, clicker devices, Smart Classroom furniture and document cameras. 

Q: What are the aftersales services provided by Abans for Smart Education solutions?

A: Currently, we have over 400 Abans showroom branches, with well-trained sales staff, across the island, positioned in strategic locations. Our dedicated service centres around the island are unique to Abans, as we aim to provide the best aftersales services to our customers. These ISO-certified and accredited service centres are handled and operated by highly skilled and qualified teams who combine their dedication, hard work and industry experience to ensure speedy service and repairs. 

Q: How has Abans used Smart Education to improve the learning experiences and horizons in Sri Lanka for education? 

A: When we initially introduced Smart Education to schools in Sri Lanka, the foremost hurdle was convincing teachers to accept the challenge of trying out these Smart devices. Their dislike stemmed from fear that they would be shamed in front of their students – since the children of today are quite adept with technology and the digital age, compared to the older generations. They were not ready to shed their traditional teaching methods. Another huge obstacle we came to know was that the teachers were afraid to even touch devices such as the Smartboard, due to reasons like the fear of damaging it and being forced to forfeit their salaries because of that.  However, now the situation is completely different. COVID-19 brought about a huge and unexpected transformation, where teachers had to rely on other ways to conduct their lessons and thereby, Smart Education has taken major strides in the past two months or so. The challenge would now be to continue using the same, even after things go back to normal. We are hopeful that Smart Education solutions will be maintained, and the transformation will influence other schools to join the bandwagon.  Another huge misconception I would to point out is the idea that Smart Education is exorbitantly expensive. Not at all; Smart Education can begin with a simple Smart device, like a mobile phone. You have to start with what is available to you at that moment, not get the most high-tech equipment and then struggle to pay the price or handle the device. It is vital to begin with small steps, before gradually progressing to more sophisticated solutions. This is one reason why we have made it our objective to increase device usage in Sri Lanka for the benefit of the education sector.  Professional Teacher Training is a pivotal segment of Abans’ Smart Education solutions package. We conduct these programmes using various Smart devices such as the Smartboard or Interactive Whiteboard to enable teachers to get familiar with the technology. This training has proven to be exceptionally successful as return visits to many schools have showcased a vast improvement in the academic abilities of the students, as well as their enthusiasm and interest towards interactive learning – which facilitates them to understand and assimilate lessons faster and much easily.  Our future expansion plans include IoT and Artificial Intelligence based education solutions, to further enhance the classroom into a comprehensively digitalised learning environment.

Q: Are there any ongoing promotions at Abans for Smart Education solutions?

A: Yes, special laptop promotions are available for students and teachers at Abans. In comparison to our competitors, our promotions are a cut above the rest, as our main focus is to ensure everyone gets a chance to move to Smart Education. If they wish to purchase any laptop from us, we offer easy payment instalment schemes, free gifts and a certified warranty. They can choose from a variety of brands and models that fit their requirements and budgets. Schools also have the option of obtaining laptops from Abans and paying a reasonable amount monthly. This way, the school does not have to bear a heavy burden to update their curriculum and systems.  In addition, we offer devices as a service to schools, where they can request for any particular devices and a monthly amount is paid to Abans for the usage of these devices. These three options offered by Abans have been instrumental in paving the way to increase the IT knowledge and skills of students and teachers in schools, universities and other educational institutes. Abans also provides LMS (Learning Management Systems) and Professional Teacher Training, to make the transition into Smart Education easier, simpler and fun for everyone. 

Q: What are the value additions offered exclusively by Abans for Smart Education? 

A: We offer customised solutions to meet the different requirements of our customers. Our target markets are schools, universities, technical colleges and other educational institutes. An international portfolio of brands under one roof is a massive advantage we hold over our competitors. Abans has always strived to be at the forefront of introducing innovation to Sri Lanka, hence the technology we offer (4K quality, 3D software, Lifeliqe digital content application, Guru.lk government syllabus compilation, Artificial Intelligence) is guaranteed to keep you ahead of the rest. Our combined expertise of several years and the international service accreditations received by us (authorised service centre, authorised reseller, authorised agents) position us at the top of the Smart Education solutions industry. 

Speech on Importance of Education of Students and Children

Speech on importance of education.

Education is a procedure of learning where knowledge, skills, and habits move from one generation to the other. Moreover, education is essential for the overall development of a human being. For instance, their personal, social as well as the economic development of the country. If we talk about the importance of education in our daily life, we have to admit that it improves our personal lives and helps in running the societies smoothly by protecting everyone including ourselves from the harmful and unexpected events.

Modes of Education

The major types of education system are as follows:

Formal Education: Formal education is basically a practice of learning where a human learns basic, academic or some trade skills for his living. Formal education or formal learning initiates at the basic level. Further, it continues till the college or university level where people study bachelor and master courses. It comes under a certain combination of rules and regulations and it may provide a formal degree after the completion of the course. It is provided by the teachers that are highly qualified and educated and are under strict discipline as well.

Informal Education: Informal education is the type of education where people are not studying in a specific school or a college. They do not use any specific learning method or technique. When a father teaches his son how to ride a bicycle or a mother teaches her daughter how to cook food, then these learnings fall under the category of Informal Education. A person can get informal education by reading some books from any library or any educational website on the internet. However, unlike the formal education, informal education has no particular syllabus or any specific time period for learning.

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Importance of Education in Our Life

Education is very important for personal development as well as for the socio-economic development of our country. Education is important for living life happily. Moreover, it empowers and motivates our mind to conceive the good thoughts and ideas and grow our knowledge day by day. Moreover, education helps us in acquiring new skills and techniques. Thus, it becomes effortless for us to do our daily life activities in the best possible ways with maximum output and excellence. Education is necessary to raise a person’s standard of living. As it gives us all the necessary goods and awareness about how we can increase our earnings with the use of our brains and knowledge.

Importance of Education in the Life of a Student

Education is one of the most important and mandatory elements in the life of a student. It helps the students to do analysis while making important decisions in life. Education is essential for a student because after being educated enough, a student will be able to select a good career option for them. So that they can succeed in life with the help of education. A good career provides the students financial freedom and support along with mental satisfaction. The Education of the students helps them in improving their communication skills. For instance, their speech, body language, and many other elements present in the communication system. Education helps the students in using the technology in a better way in this era of rapid technological development and transformation.

As we all know that education is the key element of everyone’s life today. Education has the value that helps in making people valuable and full of knowledge. Education is necessary for the growth of life for everyone. It has the same value for everyone equally. Everyone is having the right to learn. Without education, life can become so difficult and hard to survive.

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Speech on Right to Education

• Updated on  
• Sep 15, 2022

The Constitution (Eighty-sixth Amendment) Act, 2002 inserted Article 21-A in the Constitution of India to provide “free and compulsory education of all children in the age group of six to fourteen years as a Fundamental Right” in such a manner as the State may, by law, determine. The Right of Children to Free and Compulsory Education (RTE) Act, 2009, which represents the consequential legislation envisaged under Article 21-A, means that every child has a right to full-time elementary education of satisfactory and equitable quality in a formal school which satisfies certain essential norms and standards. Education bridges the gap between poverty and prosperity. Education gives you wings to fly high. Class 9 and 10 students have to prepare speeches as part of the CBSE ASL evaluation. Let us explore a few samples of speech on the right to education.

Also Read: Figures of Speech

Check out our essay on peer pressure

Speaking Task: Speech on Right to Education (2 minutes)  ≈ 250 Words

Good morning everyone! I am XYZ and today I am presenting an insightful and impactful speech on the right to education. Allan Bloom once quoted “Education is the movement from darkness to light” It is crucial that quality education is delivered to the people because it is the educated individuals and their decisions that are instrumental in the economic growth and prosperity of a country. With the aim of bridging the gap between poverty and prosperity, the right to education act was launched in the year 2009 and under this act, children up to 14 years of age were provided with free and compulsory education. Enforcement of this act helped people realize that education is their fundamental right and people should never let go of the opportunity to get themselves educated.

As a result of the right to education, the literacy rate will increase and the unemployment rate in the country will decrease, which will automatically facilitate the economic growth of the country. With an increase in economic growth, there will be an equitable income distribution among people and it will also help in establishing an egalitarian society as education helps people think and act in an objective and broad manner. 

Also Read: Speech Writing

Speaking Task: Speech on Right to Education(5 minutes) ≈ 400 Words

Good morning everyone. My name is XYZ and my ASL topic is speech on the right to education. The right to education is a fundamental human right that is a powerful tool for socially and economically marginalized children and adults to use to help them get out of the vicious cycle of poverty. It also includes the right to free education. Freedom of education refers to the right granted to humans to pursue the education of their choice without restriction.

 As quoted by Nelson Mandela “Education is the most powerful weapon which you can use to change the world” and I fully agree with him because education changes human nature in a desirable way as the changes brought about by education are boundless and positive in nature. The right to education (RTE) act was launched in the year 2009 to provide free and compulsory elementary education to children between 6 and 14 years of age. According to RTI, the state must cover up for the obstacles faced by children attending schools. Be responsible for enrolling the child and ensuring completion of the required eight years of education. Education helps to surpass irrational restrictions, promoting equality, systematic functioning of a diverse country like India. Education reduces unemployment and improves the standard of living of people. Education increases people’s productivity and creativity. It encourages entrepreneurship and technological advancement. It plays a crucial role in ensuring economic, social progress and improving income distribution. 

Education aids in the transmission of knowledge required to comprehend and process new information and to implement new technologies. Innovation is a direct consequence of imparting quality education to people. Education is vital for the economic growth and prosperity of a country. The right to education is a fundamental right of every citizen that should not be snatched from them because education gives meaning to life and replaces an empty mind with an open one.

Check out the Other Speech Topics

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• How to Write a Speech on Discipline?

This was all about the speech on right to education. For the latest updates around study blogs, you can follow us on Instagram , Twitter , Facebook . Leverage Edu wishes you all the best for all your future endeavours. If you want to get into your dream course in a high-ranked global university, you’ll need more than just good grades; you’ll also need flawless application because the competition is fierce. You may enlist the assistance of Leverage Edu specialists to assist you with the application process so that you can realize your goals. Call us immediately at 1800 57 2000 for a free 30-minute counselling session.

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Sinhalese Speech Generation from Text

Language code: si-LK

Convert Sinhala text to speech and download audio. TTS generator for Sri Lanka native speakers.

Sinhala is a Indo-Aryan language spoken by the Sinhalese people of Sri Lanka. It is 16 million native speakers. Sinhala has borrowed words from several other languages, including Sanskrit, Pali, and Tamil, reflecting the diverse cultural influences on the Sinhalese people over the centuries.

Consonant System . This language has sounds that are voiced and some that are not. Some sounds come out with a breath, while others don't. It's important to know these to pronounce words correctly. Vowels are also key. Some are short and some are long. The length can change the meaning of the word.

Nasal Sounds and Stress . In Sinhalese, you can hear nasal sounds in different parts of words. Some sounds mix a nasal with another sound. Some sounds are said twice in a row, and this can change word meaning. Usually, the second to last part of a word is said louder or stronger.

Unique Sounds . Sinhalese has sounds made by curling the tongue. Not many languages have these. The language also has many smooth and sliding sounds, which add to its special sound.

SpeechGen meticulously considers all the unique features of this Language. Unlock the potential of text-to-speech synthesis for Sinhalese content. With precise voice generation and seamless text transformation, SpeechGen offers an unparalleled platform for voicing your Sinhalese texts.

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At Morehouse, Biden says dissent should be heard because democracy is 'still the way'

Stephen Fowler

Jeongyoon Han

President Biden speaks to graduating students at the Morehouse College commencement Sunday in Atlanta. Alex Brandon/AP hide caption

President Biden speaks to graduating students at the Morehouse College commencement Sunday in Atlanta.

President Biden told Morehouse College's graduating class of 2024 that he's committed to serving Black voters while defending freedom and democracy in the face of "extremist forces" that he says threaten the soul of the nation.

With just six months until the general election, the speech, which was filled with religious themes of struggle and resilience, also served as a continuation of Biden's warning to his supporters of what he thinks the country would look like if Donald Trump is elected again.

"They don't see you in the future of America, but they're wrong," he said. "To me, we make history, not erase it. We know Black history is American history."

The president's commencement address at Morehouse, a historically Black school in Atlanta, also comes as polling shows potentially lower support for his reelection efforts among Black voters and young voters, and as campus protests over conflict in Gaza have disrupted graduations around the country.

Biden said he understood angst over the direction of the country, acknowledged "dissent about America's role in the world" and said that those who have different views should have their voices heard in the name of democracy.

"That's my commitment to you," he said. "To show you: democracy, democracy democracy — it's still the way."

Graduating students at the Morehouse College commencement bow their heads Sunday in Atlanta. President Biden addressed the graduating class of 2024 and warned about "extremist forces" he says threaten the soul of the nation. Alex Brandon/AP hide caption

Graduating students at the Morehouse College commencement bow their heads Sunday in Atlanta. President Biden addressed the graduating class of 2024 and warned about "extremist forces" he says threaten the soul of the nation.

His speech is also one of many events on his recent trip aimed at speaking to Black voters, following events with plaintiffs in the historic Brown v. Board Supreme Court case, meetings with Black Greek Letter Organizations, often known as the Divine Nine, and before he headlines an NAACP dinner in Detroit.

For weeks, several college and university campuses around the country have been roiled with student protests and encampments expressing opposition against Biden and U.S. policies and involvement around conflict in Gaza.

Biden will cap off a week of outreach to Black Americans with Morehouse commencement

Biden is set for the Morehouse graduation. Students are divided

Morehouse has seen student demonstrations, but not occupation of campus spaces or clashes with law enforcement. Outside of the ceremony, a small number of protesters gathered while the commencement itself did not see any major disruptions.

Last week, Morehouse College President David Thomas said he would rather halt proceedings than have students escorted away for protesting.

"If my choice is 20 people being arrested on national TV on the Morehouse campus, taken away in zip ties during our commencement, before we would reach that point, I would conclude the ceremony," he said on NPR's Weekend Edition .

An attendee stands in protest with their back to President Biden as Biden speaks to graduating students at the Morehouse College commencement Sunday in Atlanta. John Bazemore/AP hide caption

An attendee stands in protest with their back to President Biden as Biden speaks to graduating students at the Morehouse College commencement Sunday in Atlanta.

Those concerns did not come to pass. Apart from the heightened security and increased media presence, Biden's speech was met with a similar response to a typical college graduation ceremony.

More than 400 graduating students walked across the stage Sunday, and during Biden's speech a handful of students, some wearing keffiyehs , turned their chairs around to face away from the president.

After the ceremony, Morehouse issued a statement praising the graduating class and their intentionally muted response to Biden.

"It is fitting that a moment of organized, peaceful activism would occur on our campus while the world is watching to continue a critical conversation," the statement reads. "We are proud of the resilient class of 2024's unity in silent protest, showing their intentionality in strategy, communication, and coordination as a 414-person unit."

DeAngelo Fletcher, Morehouse College's valedictorian, closed his address to his classmates by addressing global conflict, particularly the Israel-Hamas war.

"For the first time in our lives, we've heard the global community sing one harmonious song that transcends language and culture," he said. "It is my sense as a Morehouse Man, nay — as a human being — to call for an immediate and a permanent ceasefire in the Gaza Strip."

Biden's speech at Morehouse comes with intense scrutiny as many presidential horse race polls show the president lagging with young voters, Black voters and other nonwhite groups that helped propel him to a narrow victory against Trump in 2020.

Those polls — for now — signal a drop in support for Biden but not necessarily an equal shift toward Trump. There are also signs that some of the displeasure with Biden is more pronounced among people who aren't as likely to vote in November.

While facing a nominal challenge in the Democratic presidential primary, Biden's best-performing areas have often come in places with a large share of Black voters. For example, in Georgia's primary contest 95% of Black voters pulled a Democratic ballot, and Biden won 95% of the overall vote.

While some students, faculty and alumni expressed opposition to Biden's selection as the commencement speaker, reaction on campus during the graduation ceremony was largely positive.

Dr. Tiffany Johnson, a 50-year-old who came to the campus green at 4:30 a.m. to see her son graduate, was also excited to see Biden.

"He is the leader of the free world, the most important job in the world, and for him to come to speak to [Morehouse] graduates, to inspire them, is phenomenal," Johnson said.

Johnson said Black voters who might not support Biden are part of a "bandwagon" that do not understand what he has done for the community, and said his speech would be an ideal opportunity to share his accomplishments.

In the speech, Biden touted a track record that he says makes key investments in Black communities, including a record $16 billion funding package toward historically Black colleges and universities, protecting voting rights, and creating economic policies that strengthens Black businesses.

• commencement address
• graduation ceremony
• morehouse college
• young voters
• Donald Trump
• black voters

New voices upend the status quo in Portland’s high school speech and debate scene

• Updated: May. 25, 2024, 3:05 p.m. |
• Published: May. 25, 2024, 7:00 a.m.

Franklin High students Frankie Silverstein, far left, and Luke Susswood, both juniors, smile as they wait for their medals at the state speech and debate championship. The duo captured first in policy this year. Lucas Helberg/Youth Voices

• Lucas Helberg | Youth Voices

For years in Oregon, the speech and debate scene has traditionally been dominated by wealthier public and private schools .

But over the last few years many Portland area high schools that serve higher amounts of low-income students and more diverse populations have made it clear that they are coming for their crowns.

Many have launched new teams with help from the Portland Urban Debate League , a nonprofit whose core mission is to address “opportunity gaps in education ” via support for speech and debate programs with a focus on policy debate .

The league currently includes six Portland area high schools : McDaniel, Roosevelt, and Franklin, all in Portland Public Schools; Parkrose High in Northeast Portland; Centennial High in Gresham; and Reynolds High in Troutdale.

“Giving schools access to debate is at the forefront of what we’re doing,” Portland Urban Debate League Executive Director Mallory Copeland said. “We take care of the things that tend to cost teams the most money or require the most parental participation. We provide all of the judging so that makes it a bit easier on the coaching side to not have to constantly reach out to parents to ask them to fill the gaps.”

Researchers from the University of Virginia and Harvard University have found that just one year of participation in policy debate can have a bigger impact on middle and high school student English test scores than higher-cost interventions, like frequent, small-group tutoring. Their findings come from a 10-year study of schools in the Boston Debate League , a Massachusetts-based nonprofit that serves a similar demographic to the Portland Urban Debate League.

“We found pretty large impacts for a high school intervention than you would tend to typically find,” said Beth Schueler, an assistant professor of education and public policy at the University of Virginia, a former college debater herself who worked on the study .

Among the league’s biggest successes this year : Franklin High juniors Frankie Silverstein and Luke Susswood took first place in policy at the state speech and debate championships, winning out over traditional powerhouses in the Portland area.

“It definitely does feel especially cool,” said Silverstein, who is also currently the Portland Public Schools board’s student representative , of their win. “I think sometimes there’s this narrative in the halls at Franklin, people are frustrated [because] they feel like they don’t have as many resources (as other schools) or it just feels like consistently it’s the same teams winning athletics or academic events over and over again.”

In their final elimination round, the Franklin team faced off against Oregon Episcopal High School, an elite private K-12 school.

In that final round, Silverstein and Susswood argued in favor of a negative income tax while the Oregon Episcopal School team made the case for universal basic income .

Susswood and Silverstein said the league played a critical role in their victory at state this year.

Most high schools of similar sizes — Franklin is the second largest high school in Portland Public Schools with nearly 2,000 students — that have speech and debate and mock trial typically have different or multiple coaches for both programs. Franklin only has one main coach for both programs.

But thanks to help from the Portland Urban Debate League, the team has gotten much needed additional support, the players said. Copeland, the league’s executive director, helped coach the team this year and provided additional support.

“The league has done so much for us and helped increase bandwidth. Our coach, Mr. Halberg, is also the law advisor and also does mock trial,” said Silverstein. “So he’s very, very busy. I think having somebody else there to support him has been amazing.”

Silverstein and Susswood aren’t the only ones who come from schools that made significant inroads against established schools this year at the state speech and debate championships.

Centennial High School’s Van Phan took first in the Literacy Interpretation for English Language Learners event , an event exclusively for those for whom English was not their first language, in which students memorize and recite literature from poems or short stories from children’s books.

Phan’s body language made her stand out from the crowd, coach Aidan Muth said.

“She brought a lot of fun, really just a lot of like performance elements to it,” said Muth, who is a social studies teacher at Centennial. “(Using) body language and gestures to help portray the story … I think was something that when I saw her and the other finalists (really) helped set her apart.”

Aili Deibert, in orange, poses for a photo with other state qualifiers on her team and her coach Shawn Swanson, far left. She captured a sixth place win in poetry at the state championships this year. Courtesy of Shawn Swanson / Roosevelt High

Aili Deibert, a senior at Roosevelt High, took sixth place in poetry at the state championship, the second time that she has placed at state in that event, after a third place finish her sophomore year.

Roosevelt coach and English teacher Shawn Swanson said her two state wins in poetry are both firsts for the school.

“She just loves poetry … she’s very self motivated,” said Swanson. “Finding the poems and arranging them has just been her own initiative.”

Swanson also emphasized that his team is very dependent on individual donations to support travel to tournaments with additional support from the league.

Phan’s and Deibert’s wins aren’t the only accomplishments for the Portland Urban Debate League this year.

Seryca Monroe, a junior who attends Reynolds High took second place in the after dinner speaking event this year.

Her speech centered on what she said was educationally endorsed homophobia and discrimination towards queer education in some states. She said that she focused mainly on what she and opponents of a Florida law passed two years ago call ‘Don’t Say Gay’ amidst other anti-LGBTQ legislation that is propping up across the nation . She spoke from her experience as a child of two moms, she said.

“This (law) tells kids that are part of this community or have family who are that they are not worth discussing or existing,” Monroe said of the Florida law.

She said she is the first person at her school to ever place at the state speech and debate championships.

“I think this definitely sets the precedent that people want to do better because having the recognition that comes for the team feels really good for all of us,” Monroe said.

Monroe said resources from the Portland Urban Debate League like its free summer camp were key to her success.

“I got speech help for two weeks at the camp,” she said. “They have mentors that are in speech and debate at Lewis & Clark (College) that come in and help you.”

Monroe said the league goes to great lengths to support students even if they cannot go to the camp. One of the mentors from the camp is working with her virtually over the summer to help get some of the same support she got last summer.

As at Roosevelt, Monroe said that her team is also very dependent on individual donations and support from the Portland Urban Debate League.

“We are severely underfunded,” Monroe said. “We’ve had to go to multiple school board meetings to ask for more funding and even then it’s not very good.”

Outside of state championships, the Portland Urban Debate League has had even more notable successes.

At the North Oregon District qualifying tournament in February for this summer’s prestigious National Speech and Debate Tournament , all three of the top three finishers in policy hailed from schools in the Portland Urban Debate League.

Sophomores Niko Glenn and Tom Huynh of Parkrose High took first place, a big deal for a school that just restarted its speech and debate program last school year after a nearly 30-year hiatus.

Franklin’s Silverstein and Susswood also qualified for the national tournament this summer with a second place finish.

It’s the first time that anyone from the Portland Urban Debate League has qualified to go to this particular national tournament, league officials said.

Huynh, who is in his first year of speech and debate, said his success this year is thanks to the free summer camp that the Portland Urban Debate League offered.

“If the Lewis & Clark summer camp wasn’t a free thing that the Portland Urban Debate League offered, I would not have joined debate,” said Huynh. “Debate is already hard to get into and with the camp being lower stakes and to have someone to guide you and to introduce you to what the debate is without cost is major.”

Dino Coons, a documentarian and former debater himself, is directing a documentary about speech and debate and followed Susswood and Silverstein around throughout the season. He said the duo did well all season without any hiccups.

“Frankie and Luke have consistently been excellent throughout the year,” said Coons.

But there are still hurdles that some teams will face in order to go to the national tournament this year.

Parkrose coach Rachel Wilczewski, who took over coaching the team in December, said her team needs more money to go to the national tournament this summer, even with help from the Portland Urban Debate League. She’s currently collecting money to pay for Huynh and Glenn to go to nationals through a GoFundMe that has raised all but $700 of the $10,000 goal.

“I feel like I’ve exhausted pretty good options to receive funds,” said Wilczewski. “We do get a little bit from the after school program, but that’s mostly just to pay for some transportation and then to cover some of my pay.”

“Kids pay tens and thousands of dollars to go and all of the top teams do, going to summer camps at places like Stanford and Gonzaga,” she added. “And so it really does create a divide based on the team’s financial ability, not only from what they’re getting from the school district but from the parents of the kids who are in those schools themselves.”

Readers can support the Portland Urban Debate League or speech and debate programs at individual schools via the following links:

Portland Urban Debate League

Franklin High School Debate/Mock Trial

Parkrose High School’s Go Fund Me

Reynolds High School

Roosevelt High School

Note: This story was updated at 2:30 p.m. on May 25 to correct the spelling of Aili Deibert’s last name.

______________________________________________________________________________________

This story was written by Youth Voices contributor Lucas Hellberg, a senior at Lakeridge High School in Lake Oswego. Hellberg is an editor-in-chief for his school’s newspaper, The Newspacer, a Model UN award winner and cross country letter winner, who is interested in reporting on politics, education and emerging technology. Next year in college, he plans to double major in computer science and journalism at the University of Oregon.

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At North Carolina's GOP convention, governor candidate Robinson energizes Republicans for election

North Carolina’s Republican candidate for governor Mark Robinson delivered a speech focused on the economy and education at the NCGOP Convention’s Old North State Dinner in Greensboro Saturday

Before Mark Robinson, North Carolina’s GOP candidate for governor, even stepped on stage at the state party’s convention Saturday, several state candidates took time in their own speeches to energize the crowd by vouching for Robinson’s gubernatorial bid.

When the state’s lieutenant governor did take to the stage more than an hour and a half into the NCGOP Convention’s Old North State Dinner in Greensboro, Robinson started off his fiery speech denouncing the media for focusing too much on Donald Trump’s ongoing criminal and civil trials and not the “failures of the Democratic Party.” He also shared his vision for the state, which he said centers around the improving the economy and education.

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• Research and Tracking
• Data and Statistics
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• Hearing Loss in Children Resources
• EHDI Guidance Manual
• Information for Health Professionals
• Recommendations and Guidelines
• EHDI-IS Functional Standards
• Data on Hearing Loss in Children
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Treatment and Intervention for Hearing Loss

• No single treatment or intervention for hearing loss is the answer for every child or family.
• Intervention plans will include close monitoring, follow-ups, and any changes needed along the way.
• There are many different options for children with hearing loss and their families.

Treatment and intervention overview

Treatment and intervention options for hearing loss in children include

• Working with a professional (or team) who can help a child and family learn to communicate.
• Getting a hearing device, such as a hearing aid.
• Joining support groups.
• Taking advantage of other resources available to children with a hearing loss and their families.

Early Hearing Detection and Intervention (EHDI) Programs

Every state has an EHDI program. EHDI works to identify infants and children with hearing loss. EHDI also promotes timely follow-up testing and intervention services for any family whose child has a hearing loss.

Important tip‎

Treatment and intervention types, intervention services, early intervention (0-3 years).

Hearing loss can affect a child's ability to develop speech, language, and social skills. The earlier a child who is deaf or hard-of-hearing starts getting services, the more likely the child's communication (speech or sign language) and social skills will reach their full potential.

Early intervention program services help young children with hearing loss learn communication and other important skills. Research shows that early intervention services can greatly improve a child's development.

Babies who are diagnosed with hearing loss should begin to get intervention services as soon as possible, but no later than 6 months of age .

There are many services available through the Individuals with Disabilities Education Improvement Act 2004 (IDEA 2004). Services for children from birth through 36 months of age are called Early Intervention or Part C services. Even if your child has not been diagnosed with a hearing loss, he or she may be eligible for early intervention treatment services. The IDEA 2004 says that children under the age of 3 years (36 months) who are at risk of having developmental delays may be eligible for services. These services are provided through an early intervention system in your state. Through this system, you can ask for an evaluation.

Special Education (3-22 years)

Special education is instruction specifically designed to address the educational and related developmental needs of older children with disabilities, or those who are experiencing developmental delays. Services for these children are provided through the public school system. These services are available through the Individuals with Disabilities Education Improvement Act 2004 (IDEA 2004), Part B.

Assistive Technology

Many people who are deaf or hard-of-hearing have some hearing. The amount of hearing a deaf or hard-of-hearing person has is called "residual hearing." Technology does not "cure" hearing loss but may help a child with hearing loss to make the most of their residual hearing. For those parents who choose to have their child use technology, there are many options, including

• Hearing aids
• Cochlear or brainstem implants
• Bone-anchored hearing aids
• Other assistive devices

Hearing Aids

Hearing aids make sounds louder. They can be worn by people of any age, including infants. Babies with hearing loss may understand sounds better using hearing aids. This may give them the chance to learn speech skills at a young age.

There are many styles of hearing aids. They can help many types of hearing losses. A young child is usually fitted with behind-the-ear style hearing aids because they are better suited to growing ears.

Cochlear and Auditory Brainstem Implants

A cochlear implant may help many children with severe to profound hearing loss—even very young children. It gives that child a way to hear when a hearing aid is not enough. Unlike a hearing aid, cochlear implants do not make sounds louder. A cochlear implant sends sound signals directly to the hearing nerve.

Persons with severe to profound hearing loss due to an absent or very small hearing nerve or severely abnormal inner ear (cochlea), may not benefit from a hearing aid or cochlear implant. Instead an auditory brainstem implant may provide some hearing. An auditory brainstem implant directly stimulates the hearing pathways in the brainstem, bypassing the inner ear and hearing nerve.

Both cochlear and brainstem implants have two main parts. There are the parts that are placed inside the inner ear, the cochlea, or base of the brain, the brainstem during surgery; and the parts outside the ear that send sounds to the parts inside the ear.

Bone-Anchored Hearing Aids

This type of hearing aid can be considered when a child has either a conductive, mixed, or unilateral hearing loss and is specifically suitable for children who cannot otherwise wear ‘in the ear’ or ‘behind the ear’ hearing aids.

Other Assistive Devices

Besides hearing aids, there are other devices that help people with hearing loss. Examples of other assistive devices include

Frequency Modulation (FM) System . An FM system is a device that helps people with hearing loss hear in background noise. FM is the same type of signal used for radios. These systems send sound from a microphone used by someone speaking to a person wearing the receiver. FM is sometimes used with hearing aids. An extra piece is attached to the hearing aid that works with the FM system.

Captioning. Many television programs, videos, and DVDs are captioned. Television sets made after 1993 are made to show the captioning. You don't have to buy anything special. Captions show the conversation spoken in soundtrack of a program on the bottom of the television screen.

Other devices. There are many other devices available for children with hearing loss. Some of these include

• Text messaging
• Telephone amplifiers
• Flashing and vibrating alarms
• Audio loop systems
• Infrared listening devices
• Portable sound amplifiers
• TTY (Text Telephone or teletypewriter)

Medications and Surgery

Medications or surgery may also help make the most of a person’s hearing. This is especially true for a conductive hearing loss, or one that involves a part of the outer or middle ear that is not working in the usual way.

One type of conductive hearing loss can be caused by a chronic ear infection. A chronic ear infection is a build-up of fluid behind the eardrum in the middle ear space. Most ear infections are managed with medication or careful monitoring. Infections that don't go away with medication can be treated with a simple surgery that involves putting a tiny tube into the eardrum to drain the fluid out.

Another type of conductive hearing loss is caused by either the outer and or middle ear not forming correctly while the baby was growing in the mother's womb. Both the outer and middle ear need to work together in order for sound to be sent correctly to the inner ear. If any of these parts did not form correctly, there might be a hearing loss in that ear. This problem may be improved and perhaps even corrected with surgery. An ear, nose, and throat doctor (otolaryngologist) is the health care professional who usually takes care of this problem.

Placing a cochlear implant, auditory brainstem implant, or bone-anchored hearing aid will also require a surgery.

Learning Language

Without extra help, children with hearing loss have problems learning language. These children can then be at risk for other delays. Families who have children with hearing loss often need to change their communication habits or learn special skills (such as sign language) to help their children learn language. These skills can be used together with hearing aids, cochlear or auditory brainstem implants, and other devices that help children hear.

Family Support Services

For many parents, their child's hearing loss is unexpected. Parents sometimes need time and support to adapt to the child's hearing loss.

Parents of children with recently identified hearing loss can seek different kinds of support. Support is anything that helps a family and may include advice, information, having the chance to get to know other parents that have a child with hearing loss, locating a deaf mentor, finding childcare or transportation, giving parents time for personal relaxation or just a supportive listener.

Hearing Loss in Children

Hearing loss can affect a child’s ability to develop communication, language, and social skills. The earlier children with hearing loss start getting services, the more likely they are to reach their full potential.

For Everyone

Health care providers, public health.

Blog The Education Hub

https://educationhub.blog.gov.uk/2024/05/16/new-rshe-guidance-what-it-means-for-sex-education-lessons-in-schools/

New RSHE guidance: What it means for sex education lessons in schools

R elationships, Sex and Health Education (RSHE) is a subject taught at both primary and secondary school.  

In 2020, Relationships and Sex Education was made compulsory for all secondary school pupils in England and Health Education compulsory for all pupils in state-funded schools.  

Last year, the Prime Minister and Education Secretary brought forward the first review of the curriculum following reports of pupils being taught inappropriate content in RSHE in some schools.  

The review was informed by the advice of an independent panel of experts. The results of the review and updated guidance for consultation has now been published.   

We are now asking for views from parents, schools and others before the guidance is finalised. You can find the consultation here .   

What is new in the updated curriculum?  

Following the panel’s advice, w e’re introducing age limits, to ensure children aren’t being taught about sensitive and complex subjects before they are ready to fully understand them.    

We are also making clear that the concept of gender identity – the sense a person may have of their own gender, whether male, female or a number of other categories   – is highly contested and should not be taught. This is in line with the cautious approach taken in our gu idance on gender questioning children.  

Along with other factors, teaching this theory in the classroom could prompt some children to start to question their gender when they may not have done so otherwise, and is a complex theory for children to understand.   

The facts about biological sex and gender reassignment will still be taught.  

The guidance for schools also contains a new section on transparency with parents, making it absolutely clear that parents have a legal right to know what their children are being taught in RSHE and can request to see teaching materials.   

In addition, we’re seeking views on adding several new subjects to the curriculum, and more detail on others. These include:   

• Suicide prevention  
• Sexual harassment and sexual violence  
• L oneliness  
• The prevalence of 'deepfakes’  
• Healthy behaviours during pregnancy, as well as miscarriage  
• Illegal online behaviours including drug and knife supply  
• The dangers of vaping   
• Menstrual and gynaecological health including endometriosis, polycystic ovary syndrome (PCOS) and heavy menstrual bleeding.  

What are the age limits?   

In primary school, we’ve set out that subjects such as the risks about online gaming, social media and scams should not be taught before year 3.   

Puberty shouldn’t be taught before year 4, whilst sex education shouldn’t be taught before year 5, in line with what pupils learn about conception and birth as part of the national curriculum for science.  

In secondary school, issues regarding sexual harassment shouldn’t be taught before year 7, direct references to suicide before year 8 and any explicit discussion of sexual activity before year 9.  

Do schools have to follow the guidance?  

Following the consultation, the guidance will be statutory, which means schools must follow it unless there are exceptional circumstances.   

There is some flexibility w ithin the age ratings, as schools will sometimes need to respond to questions from pupils about age-restricted content, if they come up earlier within their school community.   

In these circumstances, schools are instructed to make sure that teaching is limited to the essential facts without going into unnecessary details, and parents should be informed.  

When will schools start teaching this?  

School s will be able to use the guidance as soon as we publish the final version later this year.   

However, schools will need time to make changes to their curriculum, so we will allow an implementation period before the guidance comes into force.     

What can parents do with these resources once they have been shared?

This guidance has openness with parents at its heart. Parents are not able to veto curriculum content, but they should be able to see what their children are being taught, which gives them the opportunity to raise issues or concerns through the school’s own processes, if they want to.

Parents can also share copyrighted materials they have received from their school more widely under certain circumstances.

If they are not able to understand materials without assistance, parents can share the materials with translators to help them understand the content, on the basis that the material is not shared further.

Copyrighted material can also be shared under the law for so-called ‘fair dealing’ - for the purposes of quotation, criticism or review, which could include sharing for the purpose of making a complaint about the material.

This could consist of sharing with friends, families, faith leaders, lawyers, school organisations, governing bodies and trustees, local authorities, Ofsted and the media.  In each case, the sharing of the material must be proportionate and accompanied by an acknowledgment of the author and its ownership.

Under the same principle, parents can also share relevant extracts of materials with the general public, but except in cases where the material is very small, it is unlikely that it would be lawful to share the entirety of the material.

These principles would apply to any material which is being made available for teaching in schools, even if that material was provided subject to confidentiality restrictions.

Do all children have to learn RSHE?  

Parents still have the right to withdraw their child from sex education, but not from the essential content covered in relationships educatio n.  

You may also be interested in:

• Education Secretary's letter to parents: You have the right to see RSHE lesson material
• Sex education: What is RSHE and can parents access curriculum materials?
• What do children and young people learn in relationship, sex and health education

Tags: age ratings , Gender , Relationships and Sex Education , RSHE , sex ed , Sex education

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At North Carolina’s GOP convention, governor candidate Robinson energizes Republicans for election

FILE - North Carolina Lt. Gov. Mark Robinson, Republican candidate for governor, speaks at an election night event in Greensboro, N.C., Tuesday, March 5, 2024. (AP Photo/Chuck Burton, File)

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Before Mark Robinson, North Carolina’s GOP candidate for governor, even stepped on stage at the state party’s convention Saturday, several state candidates took time in their own speeches to energize the crowd by vouching for Robinson’s gubernatorial bid.

When the state’s lieutenant governor did take to the stage more than an hour and a half into the NCGOP Convention’s Old North State Dinner in Greensboro, Robinson started off his fiery speech denouncing the media for focusing too much on Donald Trump’s ongoing criminal and civil trials and not the “failures of the Democratic Party.” He also shared his vision for the state, which he said centers around the improving the economy and education.

“Trust me, there are enough people in this state who are talented enough and share the vision that we have that we can make this a reality, folks,” Robinson said during his speech, which was livestreamed by Triad television outlet WGHP.

The 55-year-old Republican is embroiled in one of the most hotly contested gubernatorial races of the 2024 election against his Democratic opponent and state Attorney General Josh Stein. Robinson’s brash political style has intrigued Trump supporters, as well as the former president himself, who formally endorsed Robinson in March at a Greensboro rally and called him “Martin Luther King on steroids.”

Robinson has also caught the attention of critics who say his rhetoric on the LGBTQ community and restricting abortion access should be a cause for concern. The Greensboro native has previously defended his past remarks by saying he can separate his religious views from public office and wants to make North Carolina a “destination state for life.”

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Calling himself “part of the winning team” during his speech, Robinson credited Republican policies with the state’s economic success and stressed the role of the governor’s office — under his leadership — to preserve that success.

“North Carolina is literally on the cusp of exploding economically,” Robinson said. “It’s time for us to direct that explosion in the right way and cause this state to be something better than it already is.”

Education in North Carolina is another priority for Robinson, who said the state’s education system is “in shambles.” But the state of education isn’t at the fault of teachers, Robinson said, adding that he puts schoolteachers in the same category as police officers.

North Dakota Gov. Burgum was also a keynote speaker at Saturday’s dinner, where he started off his speech calling Robinson the state’s next governor. He also reiterated sentiments from Republican National Committee co-chair Lara Trump and her husband, Eric Trump, who both spoke at the convention Friday, that North Carolina will be an important state in 2024 that could “determine the actual direction of our entire country.”

First private school to shut ahead of Labour’s VAT raid

Classroom doors at the £18,000-a-year Catholic Alton School will shut for the final time this summer

Sir Keir Starmer’s planned tax raid on private education has claimed its first victim with the closure of a private school where parents faced paying thousands of pounds extra every year.

Families with children at Alton School in Hampshire, which last week announced it would shut this summer, have blamed the Labour Party’s tax policies for forcing parents to remove their children and place them in the state sector .

The school said in a statement on its website that “ adverse political and economic factors ” had drained pupil numbers, leaving it “unviable” to run.

Classroom doors at the £18,000-a-year Catholic school, which caters for 370 pupils, will close for the final time at the end of the academic year.

The school has suffered from dwindling pupil numbers in recent years, but the likelihood of a Sir Keir victory in the general election is said to have exacerbated the issue, with parents describing it as the “final nail in the coffin”.

Labour has doubled down on its commitment to apply VAT “straight away” on private school fees if it wins the keys to No 10 in July.

Parents and headteachers across the country fear the 20 per cent tax will spark an exodus of pupils as families struggle to afford fees. The hike could have added as much as £3,600 to Alton’s existing fees.

A parent of two pupils at the school said: “Labour’s VAT plan has clearly had a pretty terrible impact on intake for September.

“It seems like it’s been the final nail in the coffin. It’s been a topic of conversation for quite some time, and with Labour looking more and more likely to get in, it’s become more relevant.

“I know a decent proportion of parents are now looking at the state sector.”

Pupils, parents and staff were told of the impending closure last week as headmaster Andrew Reeve informed them “it is with a very heavy heart that we cannot continue”.

Mr Reeve was hired last year in an attempt to steady the ship at the Alton, but a letter from trustees admits this “has not translated into higher pupil numbers”.

Trustees had “explored the possibility of a sale to another educational establishment” but no deal could be struck, tolling the bell for the school’s future.

Accounts for the year to August 2022 show Alton’s income stood at £4.87 million and its spending at £4.77 million.

Alton’s nursery, which takes on youngsters from the age of six months, will also close.

Sherfield School, 11 miles north, has jumped at the chance to bring in new pupils.

On Friday, it held an open day for families impacted by Alton’s upcoming closure and published a statement on its website saying it has “some availability in most year groups”.

Annual fees cost up to £21,690 a year for the eldest pupils, making it around £3,000 more expensive than Alton.

There are fears other schools in the country will follow the same fate as Alton, causing a flood of pupils to swamp state schools , many of which are already oversubscribed.

There are five state primary schools in east Hampshire and two secondary schools.

According to the Institute for Fiscal Studies, up to 40,000 children will be pushed out of private schools and into state schools as a result of Labour’s plans – at a cost of up to £300 million a year to the taxpayer.

Mr Starmer, however, has committed to bring in his plan immediately should he be in Downing Street come 5 July. The VAT charge is expected to raise £1.6 billion to spend on a series of state education pledges.

Alton’s impending closure has prompted an outpouring of sadness and concern among parents, prospective parents and former pupils.

“This is very sad. It seemed as if it was a very nurturing school with some lovely teaching staff,” said one.

Writing on the Mumsnet messaging board, one anonymous parent at the school said: “A message was sent out today saying that the school is closing at the end of this summer term. Very sad for all teachers and pupils concerned, especially those doing GCSEs and A levels next year.”

Another parent added: “The letter to families said enrolment for September was too low for the school to remain viable. It’s a while since my DD [darling daughter] left but we have very fond memories, they had some superb staff.”

In his letter to parents, Mr Reeve said the news was “extremely upsetting and disappointing”.

He said the school would do all it could to help parents find new school places for their children.

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Sharim Film 'Flora' Wins Festival's Social Justice Award

“Flora,” a film by UC Professor Yehuda Sharim , earned an award from the Latino and Native American Film Festival.

The film, which Sharim describes as a memoir of post-teen daughters of immigrants who must teach themselves about love and tenderness in a world dominated by unnecessary suffering and pain, won the festival’s Environmental, Social, Economic, Political Justice Award.

The festival, held virtually but based at Southern Connecticut State University, received more the 2,500 entries from 46 countries. “It is a testament to our festival's mission of showcasing the complexity and diversity of Latino and Native American voices worldwide,” festival organizers said in a statement.

Sharim’s work navigates fiction, improvisation and real-life events. His films offer an intimate portrayal of those who refuse to surrender amid daily strife, offering a vision for equality and solidarity in a divisive world. Recent films include "El Ojo Comienza En La Mano" (The Eye Begins in the Hand), "Experiments in Freedom" and "Letters2Maybe."

Jody Murray

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