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Hamden Hall Country Day School
Educating students in PreSchool through Grade 12

Capstone Middle School Project Focuses on Human Rights

After studying the Bill of Rights and global human rights issues in their history classes, Grade 8 students embark on a year-end capstone project that culminates with preparing and delivering speeches in front of their peers.

Now in its fifth year, Human Rights Declamations engage students in public speaking and offers an opportunity for them to confront serious worldwide issues. Students focus on rights throughout the school year in their history classes and then work in groups to study and learn about a global issue, according to Middle School Director Brian Christman.

“Students first work in groups on a public service announcement aimed at raising awareness of a global human rights issue and then they can choose an issue they've studied to write a formal speech (declamation). This speech is their final exam, and they must deliver it to their class in formal attire. They practice speechwriting and public speaking,” Mr. Christman explained.

Middle School history teachers Bud Kohler and Kevin Warnock instruct students on the dos and don'ts of public speaking and speechwriting. Student speeches are judged, and ultimately, two finalists are selected from each of the four Grade 8 history sections. The final eight present their speeches to the entire Middle School and a panel of five judges.

“Those final speeches are always very impressive and moving,” said Mr. Christman. “Public speaking is such an important skill, and it's not practiced enough. It's also exciting to see how mature the eighth-graders become when they are forced to confront very serious issues and suggest possible ways for people to help”
This year, Kate Xie won the competition with Audra Foti and Bailey Smoko taking second and third, respectively.
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