Jason Cao ’25 speaks on the diplomacy during the Quing Dynasty.
Caroline Kim ’25 delivering her speech on Shintoism in Japanese-ruled Korea.
Four sophomore finalists presented their speeches to the fourth-form in the Getz Auditorium for the annual Goodyear Presentations on Tuesday, April 6. In the competition named after former history, political science, and public speaking teacher Mr. Zachary Goodyear, fourth-formers across all levels of World History are tasked with researching a topic from the Interwar period and giving a thesis-driven presentation with a complementing visual aid.
This year’s presentations included “Tippu Tip and the Zappo Zaps” by Teniola Obayomi ’25, “Shintoism in Japanese Korea” by Caroline Kim ’25, “How the Qing Dynasty Avoided Imperialism through Diplomacy” by Jason Cao ’25, and “Canadian Cultural Imperialism through Legislation” by Libby Dai ’25. Ultimately, Kim came in first place.
Obayomi opened the presentation with a speech about the Congolese leader, Tippu Tip, and the Congolese group, Zappo Zaps, who collaborated with the Belgians in the late 19th century. Obayomi brought light to a topic rarely talked about: violence was not only perpetrated by the colonizer, but the local tribes as well.
Kim, who was especially inspired by her own grandfather’s history and role during this time period, spoke on neo-imperialism in Asia, highlighting a topic Choate students hear little about.
Kim shared, “The hardest part was definitely trying to incorporate my grandfather’s story into my speech without having it dominate the entire project.”
Cao presented on how the Qing Dynasty avoided colonization through diplomacy. He painted a clear picture of China’s political climate and tactics by highlighting the maneuvers of the Qing dynasty in light of internal protest and pressure from outside forces.
Dai, the final speaker, spoke about the lives of indigenous peoples in Canada and the suffering they endured at the hands of the Canadian government. Tasked with discussing a sensitive subject matter, she used gruesome imagery and real-life examples to support her argument. As she stepped up to the podium, the room quieted and assumed a serious tone.
She began with her opening paragraph, “The medical examiner report says that they were wearing underwear, blue denim shirts, overalls, socks, and low-cut rubber boots. Days later, three boys were found frozen and huddled together. One lay 25 meters away, he died alone.”
Dai’s speech captivated audiences and drew this year’s presentations to a close.
As a whole, the presenters of the 2023 Goodyear Presentations not only upheld the tradition and expectations of this annual competition, but also educated audiences on important topics that are often overlooked in history textbooks.
