A thoughtful speech by a 14-year student questioning a society in which young people measure their happiness by the numbers of "likes" they receive on social media was awarded the top prize at the 70th All Japan Inter-Middle School English Oratorical Contest in Tokyo on Friday.
Yuriko Sengoku, a third-year female student at Den-en-chofu Futaba Junior High School in Setagaya Ward, Tokyo, delivered a speech titled "Measure of Happiness" that won her the H.I.H. Prince Takamado Trophy.
Sengoku discussed how young users view the number of likes they receive on Instagram as "grades," and how young people are forgetting the meaning of happiness.
She also noted that test scores and school grades lead students to forget the joy of learning, claiming, "Happiness cannot be quantified, and being true to who we are will surely bring us more happiness."
"I can't believe I got this trophy, " Sengoku said after the contest at Yomiuri Hall in Chiyoda Ward, Tokyo.
"I just wanted to enjoyably convey my opinion to listeners. I want to thank my teacher, who is American."
Kanna Sakaguchi won 2nd prize for her speech, "A Word in Need of Change," while 3rd prize went to Mahiro Miyake for her presentation, "My Friend English."
The 27 finalists for Friday's contest were selected from 151 students across the nation.
The annual event was cohosted by The Yomiuri Shimbun and the Japan National Student Association Fund, and supported by the Foreign Ministry and the Education, Culture, Sports, Science and Technology Ministry, among other entities.
The full text of Sengoku's speech will appear in the Japan News later this month.
The seven winners and their schools are:
-- Top prize: Yuriko Sengoku, Den-en-chofu Futaba Junior High School (Tokyo)
-- 2nd prize: Kanna Sakaguchi, Seishin Junior High School (Okayama Pref.)
-- 3rd prize: Mahiro Miyake, Fuji Girls' Junior High School (Hokkaido)
-- 4th prize: Mio Shimizu, Otsuma Tama Junior High School (Tokyo)
-- 5th prize: Hibiki Imai, Kasahara Junior High School (Ibaraki Pref.)
-- 6th prize: Konomi Onozato, Oitahofu Junior High School (Oita Pref.)
-- 7th prize: Subin Ko, Sasebo Kita Junior High School (Nagasaki Pref.)
Read more from The Japan News at https://japannews.yomiuri.co.jp/
