'A safe friend' wins provincial award

Details

Published on Friday, April 24, 2015

Claire Tomoniko’s speech “A Safe Friend” won  the Manitoba Provincial 4-H Junior Public Speaking award

Submitted Article

Last Saturday, local grade six student Claire Tomoniko won the Manitoba Provincial 4-H Junior Public Speaking award for her speech, “A Safe Friend”. The speech offers and important message to those of any age.

A Safe Friend

So, there’s that kid again- The one who’s standing alone with her head drooping down. Have you ever thought that maybe it’s time to do something about it? Good evening, Madame Chairperson, ladies and gentlemen, honorable judges and fellow 4-Hers.  Tonight I am going to talk to you about what it means to be a safe friend.

At my age, it can be tough to be different.  Some kids expect others to think and act like them. But we’re not all the same.  There are the kids who have trouble in school.  Maybe they don’t learn as fast as everyone else or they can’t find the words to tell you what they mean. There’s that kid in gym class who is always last or can’t hit the ball. There’s that kid, who, no matter how hard they try, can’t find a partner for a project or someone to play with them at recess.

 It’s not supposed to be like that. Kids are told that to be themselves and stand up for what they believe in. That can be hard to do, especially if you feel alone. When it comes to picking friends, it is important to choose safe friends.  What is a safe friend? A safe friend is someone who will treat you the same every time you are with them. It doesn’t matter who else is around or what you are doing.  Have you ever had a friend who can be really nice to you when it’s just the two of you, and then change the way they treat you when there is another person there?  That person is not a safe friend.  To be a safe friend, you need to treat others with kindness, compassion and respect at all times.

Kindness can be a simple hi to someone who is standing alone on the playground-or maybe cheering them on after trying hard in a competition.  Kindness can be sharing something you have or inviting someone to sit with you at lunch.  Compassion means trying to understand where your friend is coming from.  Everyone has stuff that goes on in their lives which other people might not know about. A sympathetic shoulder can make people feel better. Respect is a big one. It means treat others the way you want to be treated. If you treat your friends with respect, you don’t listen to gossip about them and, if you can, you stand up for them and put a stop to it. 

Probably, at some point in your life, you have been that kid… the one who doesn’t fit in or hangs around the edge of a group, never sure if you should take the chance to join in.  Try and make a difference to the kids who are lonely or sad. Choose your friends carefully and remember most of all to be a safe friend who others can trust. 

By Claire Tomoniko