ALTERANS – Queensha Aulia Tarwoto, a standout student from SMP Islam Al Azhar 13 Surabaya, emerged as winner in the 2025 SMAMDA Cup English Speech competition held on February 9 and 15, held by SMA Muhammadiyah 2 Surabaya. The prestigious event, which attracted nearly 34 junior high school students from across East Java, challenged participants to deliver thought-provoking speeches on the theme, “Building a Future of Humanity through Cultural Wisdom and Technological Advancement.”
SMP Islam Al Azhar 13 Surabaya, a school renowned for nurturing excellence in both academics and extracurricular activities, sent five students to the competition:
- Naya Tunggadewi Putri Wardhana
- Anindita Ramadhani Putri
- Nisrina Najla Reswari
- Queensha Aulia Tarwoto
- Mikail Akmal Maulana
In the preliminary round, which featured a prepared speech, Queensha demonstrated her exceptional talent and advanced to the final round, where the students were tasked with impromptu speeches on the challenging topic, “As a Student, Should We Fear AI Replacing Human Creativity and Cultural Expressions?”
Her eloquence, deep understanding, and insightful perspective on the role of artificial intelligence in the future allowed Queensha to stand out among the other finalists. Addressing the delicate balance between technology and cultural heritage, her speech resonated with the judges and earned her the first-place title.
This victory marks another impressive achievement for SMP Islam Al Azhar 13 Surabaya, which had already made a remarkable impact in last year’s competition by claiming both the first and second positions. The school continues to inspire and cultivate future leaders, with students like Queensha leading the way in shaping thoughtful and impactful discussions on current issues.
The coach, Eka Devi Mayasari, stated her pride in the achievement, emphasizing that this is part of the school’s commitment to fostering students’ English public speaking and critical thinking skills. “This is the result of a long process through consistency and the variety and exposure to public speaking events and topics of discussion,” she said.
The SMAMDA Cup provides students with a unique platform to hone their public speaking, critical thinking, and leadership skills while exploring important topics that shape the future. Queensha’s achievement underscores the importance of combining cultural wisdom with technological advancements as we navigate the complexities of the modern world.
Congratulations to Queensha Aulia Tarwoto for her outstanding performance, and to all the students who participated in this year’s competition.
SMP Islam Al Azhar 13 Surabaya is open for prospective students who want to develop both academically and non-academicly in the 2026/2027 academic year. Register your child to be part of our family via WA at 081313132035.
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