Lower School Oratorical

Lower School Oratorical, which took place on April 9, is a Steward tradition designed to help students gain confidence in their public-speaking skills in a supportive environment. Throughout their tenure at Steward, Spartans of all ages have lots of opportunities to practice their public-speaking skills, culminating in another school tradition: senior speeches. 

Onstage in the Lora M. Robins Theatre, the 143 Lower Schoolers who opted to participate in Oratorical delighted the audience with stories, poems, and speeches. Junior Kindergarteners entertained guests with a charming “Good Morning” song and Spartans in Grade 1 shared a wacky poem about a mixed-up alphabet. Our Grade 3 students closed out the program with a choral poem inspired by the works of Maya Angelou.

The Steward community continually enriches students to support their development of a strong sense of self. Director of Lower School Becky Groves accompanied many of the young orators onstage, giving them an encouraging nod as they prepared to speak. 

“Lower School Oratorical is a long-standing Steward tradition,” she said. “With the guidance of their teachers, students choose what they want to read, practice hard, and develop their public-speaking skills. Students are always amazed at what they can accomplish! The confidence they gain sets the stage for a lifetime of comfort speaking in front of audiences.”

Families who were unable to attend Oratorical may watch a recording of the livestream of this exciting event.