Josephine Enechukwu hardly recognized her daughter as she presented on stage at the Calgary Stampede Youth Agriculture Speaking Championships. About a year before that, 13-year-old Ariella Enechukwu was quitting her Grade 7 speech club, having convinced herself she wasn’t good enough. On that day this past July, she won her age group. The girl’s mother called the moment “incredibly emotional.” She cried when they called her daughter’s name. “The victory was special but what meant even more was seeing how much she had grown,” Josephine said. “She had overcome self-doubt, worked hard and found her voice. As a parent, that’s the real win.” A matter of confidence Last year, in Grade 7 speech club, Ariella said she felt as if she was behind the others before she had even started. “Most of the students had been participating in speech since Grade 6 while I was just starting out,” she said. “They seemed so confident and experienced, and I compared myself to them.” Josephine said she didn’t realize Ariella was struggling before she revealed she wanted to quit. Josephine called that moment “heartbreaking.” She convinced her daughter to keep with it, first with a summer camp and then in the fall in Grade 8. And things started to change. Ariella started placing at speaking competitions, and then debates. She picked up awards. “Being recognized for my hard work helped me realize I was capable of more than I thought,” she said. “The biggest change wasn’t the trophies or the rankings—it was my confidence.” “I learned that success doesn’t come from being naturally gifted at something. It comes from being willing to learn, practice and keep going when things are difficult.” Continuing the journey Ariella said she felt “surprisingly calm” on the first day of the Calgary Stampede Youth Agriculture Speaking Championships. It was Day 2 when “the stakes were much higher” and she “started to feel nervous.” She said all of those nerves faded away after she launched into her topic, looking at urban agriculture in the face of rising food costs, climate instability and population growth. “Standing on that stage felt powerful because I knew how much work had gone into getting there,” she said. “When I won, I felt proud and thankful—not just because of the result but because I had pushed myself far beyond what I thought I could do.” For Josephine, it was “a continuation of the journey we had started the previous summer.” She’s glad she gave her girl the nudge. “I could see strengths in her that she couldn’t yet see in herself,” she said. “My goal was never simply to help her win competitions. I wanted her to find her voice, build confidence and learn that growth comes through practice and perseverance.” Results This year’s top competitors in the senior division (16-24) included: This year’s top competitors in the junior division (11-15) included: Each competitor gave a five-to-seven-minute speech on “one of five agriculture-related topics,” according to the Stampede’s website. All of the speeches can be viewed on the Alberta Young Speakers for Agriculture Facebook page.
