What does it take to turn an idea into something you are ready to share with an audience?
For eight students from Grades 1 to 5 at North London Collegiate School Kobe (NLCS Kobe), that question moved beyond the classroom as they took part in the Kinder Kids Grad Club Speech Contest 2026.
Organised by Kinder Kids, the event brought together young speakers from NLCS Kobe, Infinity Global School and Kyoto International School, giving students the opportunity to step onto the stage and communicate their ideas in English before an audience.
For our students, it was an opportunity not simply to speak in English, but to decide what they wanted to say, shape their thoughts and find the words to make those ideas their own.
From preparation to the stage
Public speaking asks students to bring together several aspects of learning at once.
Before stepping in front of an audience, they must develop an idea, consider how best to communicate it and prepare themselves to deliver it with clarity.
On the day of the contest, our eight students put that preparation into practice.
Representing NLCS Kobe across Grades 1 to 5, each student took to the stage with their own speech, bringing their individual ideas and perspectives to an audience beyond their everyday classroom.
The experience also gave students another important opportunity: to listen.
By hearing speeches from students at other schools, they encountered different perspectives and different ways of communicating an idea – reminding us that learning to express yourself also means learning to listen to others.
Celebrating outstanding achievements
The day brought significant recognition for NLCS Kobe.
Students received awards in both the Grade 1 & 2 International School category and the Grade 4 & 5 International School category.
A Grade 3 student was also named Grand Champion, recognised for the best overall speech across the age categories.
These achievements are a wonderful recognition of the students’ preparation and performances. Yet the value of the experience extended beyond the awards themselves.
Every student who stepped onto the stage had the opportunity to communicate to a real audience, respond to the challenge of public speaking and experience how their own ideas could reach people beyond their classroom.
Creating opportunities for young voices to be heard
At NLCS Kobe, we believe that communication develops through opportunities to use it with genuine purpose.
Experiences such as the Kinder Kids Grad Club Speech Contest give students a setting in which English is not simply something to study, but a means through which they can articulate an idea, connect with an audience and engage with perspectives beyond their own.
We are proud of all eight students who represented NLCS Kobe and grateful to Kinder Kids for creating an opportunity for young speakers to come together, share their ideas and learn from one another.
Congratulations to everyone who took to the stage.
