This I Believe

Last night, perhaps more so than ever before in the history of This I Believe at Shawnigan, NPR presenter Edward Murrow’s poignant introduction, first broadcast in 1951, perfectly paved the way for several members of Shawnigan’s Grade 12 class to share their personal beliefs with an online audience.

 

This year’s presenting students shared beliefs and stories ranging from the health benefits of laughter and the importance of memories, to modern technology as an obstacle to relationships, struggles with personal identity and eating disorders, the lesson that can come from making a mess, the idea that curiosity is more important than knowledge, and the challenge of being your own worst enemy.

 

“I love our annual This I Believe evening because I am reminded of some of the Grade 12s in Grade 8 or 9, and I marvel at their growth,” says Head of English Carmen Boudreau. “If anything, our Grade 12 speakers’ stories last night in the context of a pandemic have shown us that they are very resilient. I feel hopeful for their futures.”

 

This I Believe is an essay writing and public speaking project based on the popular 1950s NPR radio series of the same name in which participants from all walks of life delivered speeches in response to the prompt “This I believe…” The annual This I Believe Grade 12 showcase at Shawnigan was established by the English department in 2015.