Miranda Guerrero / Staff reporter
After two years of not having the opportunity to showcase their skills and passions due to covid protocols, all talon students were able to find their spotlight at the Talons Night of the Notables last week. The Night of the Notables was an outstanding enjoyment from the moment MCs Athena Ho and Sarah Rajoo started off the event to when the students walked around every learning center to the sound of the bagpipe as a concluding ceremony.
The event consisted of every Talons student making a learning center about someone they admired—someone notable. Our range of notables goes from Queens and doctors to artists and YouTubers. Only Grade 10s made speeches about them, which were at least one minute and thirty seconds long. Rita Cao grade 9 said, “I would say (I’m looking forward) to the speech part, surprisingly because even thought it feels really intimidating, your voice is definitely more empowering, and just that opportunity is something I’m looking forward to.” It was evident students were truly passionate about their topics, as well as talented when it came to public speaking. Each student’s personality was well blended in with their notable’s during the speech showing it had its own essence which kept the event light and interesting throughout the night.
The night first started in the MPR where students presented their speeches, then it merged into a gallery walk-styled event arranged in the hallway. Learning centers started by the water fountain and continued down the social studies wing leading to the main foyer, so could walk around and choose where to go. Each learning center had some key points about their chosen Notable and a little bit about why the student chose this person. Mandy Zhao grade 10, for example, talks about how she chose Nadya Okamoto, social entrepreneur, because “she’s really brave for what she’s done. She’s talking about destigmatizing periods. She’s really showing herself to the world. She’s educating and she’s not sugarcoating everything. What she does is really just amazing.”
The atmosphere was very welcoming and inclusive with each learning center filled with something that made it unique from the rest. “I thought it was an incredible example of diverse thinkers at work, just really high-quality presentation, and all of the content that was shared” said Tanya Dissegna, Vice Principal. The reception with the snacks and drinks, the décor of the MPR, and the students’ organizational skills were what made this event a truly enjoyable night. “Our students have so much power to make the world a better place,” concluded Dissegna.