Sonya Kovtun is competing in the national finals of the student Speaker's Idol competition focused on human rights and creating positive change.
The annual competition is hosted by the Friends of Simon Wiesenthal Center for Holocaust Studies.
Kovtun is a Grade 11 student at Pickering College but she is originally from Ukraine. She heard about this speech contest in her English class.
She decided to take part because she liked the topic of human rights and making positive change.
All the students participating had to base their speeches on Holocaust survivor and Nazi-hunter Simon Wiesenthal’s quote, "I believe that there is no other solution than to constantly engage with the past and to learn from it.”
"I really resonate with the quote, I felt like I have more to say about the quote," she said.
Kovtun has been in Canada for just three years but her family is still in Ukraine and she has been very affected by the war there.
She was inspired by that and the topic of PTSD in children due to the war.
"I understand how it is affecting kids and I understand the kind of trauma it can cause," she said. "It's important for me to speak out and really spread the word of something that is important to me."
Leah Duncan, head of the English department at Pickering College, said the speech was based on an English assignment of the same topic.
"We believe in making space for student voices and identity in our classes. This form of narrative writing is integral to how we promote social justice and student advocacy through our program. Sonya's words are incredibly powerful and we are so proud of her for sharing her story. Stories are what make us human, and allow us to find light amidst conflict," she said.
Kovtun submitted her speech for the first round of the competition earlier this year but said she didn't realize how big it was at the time.
"I just did it from my soul, submitted it and I didn't think much about it. And then I realized, oh my goodness, this is very big," she said.
She then found out she was chosen as one of the finalists from more than 200 entries across the country.
"At that moment, my competitiveness and kind of my understanding woke up to 'we have to go to the final, we have to get to the end'," she said.
The finals competition takes place virtually on May 10. Kovtun's speech will be presented alongside five other high school students from across Canada. There is also a round with six students in grades 6 to 8.
The speech has been pre-recorded so Kovtun said that helps with the nerves because she can actually take in other people's speeches rather than worrying about her own.
"I think it will be an amazing event and I'm definitely really excited," she said.
Pickering College director of teaching and learning Joshua Armstrong said the school encourages students to take part in the speech competition to broaden Holocaust education.
"Sonya's speech is deeply personal, telling a complicated story close to her heart. We are proud of Sonya's bravery in sharing her story and inspired by her exceptional speaking in this competition. We wish Sonya luck in the final performance," he said.
The virtual event takes place at 1 p.m. on May 10 and will be hosted by TV and radio personality Rick Campanelli. The speeches will be judged by lawyer and public policy expert Annamie Paul, litigation lawyer Matthew Gottlieb and reconstructive surgeon Dr. Toni Zhong, who will determine the overall winner.
