Top Competitive Event Tips for Students

 

🧠 Before the Event: Prepare with Purpose

  • Know the Rubric Inside and Out
    → Highlight key criteria and turn them into a checklist. Practice scoring yourself or peers.

  • Watch Winning Performances
    → Study past champions (if available) to see what success looks like.

  • Rehearse Like It’s the Real Thing
    → Time yourself, wear competition attire, and practice in front of others for feedback.

  • Stay Organized
    → Create a folder (physical or digital) with your speech, notes, permission forms, etc.


🗣️ Public Speaking & Presentation Tips

  • Start with a Strong Hook
    → Grab the judges’ attention from the first 10 seconds.

  • Make Eye Contact and Smile
    → Even if you're nervous, this makes you appear confident and engaging.

  • Practice Voice Control
    → Avoid speaking too fast, and vary your tone to keep it interesting.

  • Use Gestures Naturally
    → Don’t be stiff, but avoid over-the-top movements. Let them support your message.


🎯 During the Event: Compete to Learn, Not Just Win

  • Stay Calm and Focused
    → Take deep breaths before you start. Nerves mean you care!

  • Adapt if Something Goes Wrong
    → Forgot a line? Keep going. Technical glitch? Stay professional—judges respect that.

  • Bring a Back-up
    → USB, printed script, visuals—have extras just in case.

  • Professionalism Matters
    → Be polite, punctual, and positive with everyone (judges, volunteers, other competitors).


🌟 After the Event: Reflect and Grow

  • Accept Feedback Gracefully
    → Even if you don’t win, use the critiques to improve for next time.

  • Celebrate Progress
    → Did you improve from last year? Speak more clearly? That’s a win!

  • Congratulate Others
    → Supporting peers shows leadership and class.

 

Areas Where Students Can Be More Competitive

 

🔍 Rubric Mastery

  • Many students don’t fully understand the rubric or scoring criteria.

  • Encourage deep analysis: “What earns a perfect score?” vs. “What’s just average?”

  • Students should practice self-scoring and peer feedback aligned with the rubric.


🎤 Public Speaking Skills

  • Students often rush or mumble when nervous.

  • Encourage practice with pacing, projection, tone variation, and purposeful pauses.

  • Eye contact, posture, and voice control are consistently weak areas.


🧾 Professionalism and Poise

  • First impressions matter—attire, handshake, and introduction should be polished.

  • Respond to judges confidently, even during Q&A or impromptu sections.

  • Students should practice staying composed under pressure or when something goes wrong.


🧠 Content Depth & Critical Thinking

  • Many entries lack depth or originality—responses can be surface-level or generic.

  • Go beyond “what” and explain the “why” or “how” in their presentations.

  • Apply of real-life experiences, teaching strategies, or relevant data.


📁 Preparedness and Materials

  • Students often forget required materials or lack backups (USB, printed copy, etc.).

  • Events with portfolios or visuals: students may overlook organization, design, or clarity.

  • Students should rehearse with everything they’ll actually bring to competition.


🕰️ Time Management

  • Common issue: not practicing under time limits.

  • Students run out of time, skip parts of their speech, or cram their strongest points at the end.

  • Teach students to build a timed outline and practice pacing.


💬 Answering Judges’ Questions

  • Students sometimes freeze or give vague answers when judges ask questions.

  • Prepare them with mock Q&A and teach them to listen, pause, and respond with confidence.


🙌 Teamwork and Collaboration (for team events)

  • Not all members contribute equally or communicate clearly.

  • Students need to practice roles, transitions, and unity in delivery.