{"id":206642,"date":"2025-09-07T03:35:14","date_gmt":"2025-09-07T03:35:14","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.europesays.com\/us\/206642\/"},"modified":"2025-09-07T03:35:14","modified_gmt":"2025-09-07T03:35:14","slug":"11th-graders-build-public-speaking-self-reflection-skills-at-helix","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.europesays.com\/us\/206642\/","title":{"rendered":"11th graders build public speaking, self-reflection skills at Helix"},"content":{"rendered":"

\"11th<\/a>A student at Helix High School during his mid-high school reflection presentation. (Photo courtesy of Lauren Knuth) Credit: Photo Credit: Lauren Knuth<\/p>\n

Parents, teachers and community volunteers gathered at Helix Charter High School<\/a> this week to hear 11th graders reflect on their high school experience so far and assess them on their presentation and speaking skills.\u00a0<\/p>\n

The five- to seven-minute minute presentations, called the mid-high school reflection<\/a>, are given by all juniors in classrooms before a few audience members. Students include information about who they are, how their four-year plan is going, what they want to focus on and how they have grown.\u00a0<\/p>\n

\u201cThis is a time for them to pause, reflect back on how it has been, and be intentional about going forward,\u201d said Lauren Knuth, a community relations and engagement coordinator at Helix.\u00a0<\/p>\n

\u201cIt really is a good opportunity for them to do some deep thinking. Otherwise, when do we ever really do this? I mean, as adults too. So this is a great opportunity for them to really be intentional about where they\u2019re going.\u201d<\/p>\n

Reflecting on her first two years of high school, Logan McMahon said, \u201cI\u2019ve learned to surround myself\u00a0with people who lift me up and not pull me down.\u201d<\/p>\n

Maylana Mantoux reflected on an essay that she wrote about a book for class: \u201cLearning doesn\u2019t come from studying the facts, it comes from applying what I\u2019m learning to real life situations.\u201d<\/p>\n

And Juan Martinez III reflected on what he has learned by pursuing wrestling: \u201cEverything you want, you have to earn it.\u201d<\/p>\n

Knuth said that many of the students were nervous about giving the presentations, which gave them the opportunity to speak in front of people they did not know.\u00a0<\/p>\n

\u201cOne of the number one fears<\/a> of Americans is public speaking,\u201d said Kevin Osborn, executive director at Helix. \u201cSo it\u2019s hard enough when you\u2019re in high school getting up (to present) for your class, but now you have to get up with a community board.\u201d<\/p>\n

Kristel Ruelos, an education specialist at Helix, was an audience member in one of the classrooms. She said it was the first time she had heard one of the students share a career goal. Now she knows what the student\u2019s goal is, she said she can connect it to classroom learning.\u00a0<\/p>\n

\u201cI only get to see one side of them in class,\u201d said Ruelos. \u201cIt\u2019s nice to see another side to them and see them be vulnerable.\u201d<\/p>\n

The tradition started with 12th graders giving senior reflections at the end of high school. The success of the initiative led the school to launch earlier opportunities for students in 11th grade.\u00a0<\/p>\n

Students were assessed on criteria such as the depth of their reflection, the content, flow and delivery of their presentation and how well they engaged with the audience.\u00a0<\/p>\n

\u201cSome love doing it because some kids love to stand and deliver,\u201d said Osborn. \u201cAnd others, this is really a personal challenge for them. You know, you\u2019ve got the whole gamut like anything in education, right?\u201d<\/p>\n

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