The workshop she built for students afraid to speak

Ananya Dino and her partner developed the workshop from the ground up. They contacted schools, designed the lesson, created the slides and interactive activities, led the session, facilitated a debate, and collected feedback afterwards. Together they built a hands-on workshop for Grade 6 to 8 students focused on public speaking, communication and confidence.

One activity asked students to anonymously complete the sentence, "I struggle with..." Students could write down something that made them nervous, insecure, or hesitant to speak. The responses were used to start a conversation about how common these fears are and how confidence can develop gradually.

“I know what it feels like to be afraid of speaking up. Through this project, I want younger students to feel supported, confident, and proud of their own voice.”

Ananya Dino

It began as her CAS project for the International Baccalaureate program. She says it became "more meaningful than just a school requirement."

The process, she says, "was not always smooth, especially when it came to scheduling and communication, but it taught me that leadership requires patience, follow-up, and the ability to adapt."

She says communication was not always easy for her. As an immigrant, she sometimes struggled with language barriers and found it difficult to express her thoughts clearly. She also grew up with a speech impairment, "which made speaking in front of others even more intimidating." At times she was bullied for the way she communicated, and she says that made her afraid of being judged.

The confidence came slowly. She built it "by practicing presentations, meeting new people, and putting myself in situations that once made me uncomfortable." Those experiences, she says, "taught me that communication is about having the courage to share your thoughts."

That is why the project matters to her. "I know a student may have a strong idea but stay quiet because they are nervous, unsure, or afraid of being wrong," she says.

She is working now on creating spaces where younger students can build confidence in communication, public speaking and self-expression. "I want younger students to realize that their voice has value and deserves to be heard."