Elizabeth Graham never imagined herself performing a traditional Chinese fan dance, let alone delivering a speech in Mandarin.
But that’s exactly what she’s preparing to do as one of four Southern River College students selected for the prestigious Chinese Bridge Competition.
“I wanted to put myself out there and try something outside of my comfort zone,” the Year 10 student said.
While three of the students (Hamidi Mohammadi, Maxz Paul San Buenaventura and Naomi Kingi Hamidi Mohammadi) have chosen to sing for their cultural performance, Elizabeth will take a different path with a graceful fan dance.
The experience has been challenging.
Learning the dance and memorising a speech in Mandarin, one of the most difficult languages for English speakers, has pushed her in new ways.
“What I’m most worried about is the speech we have to present in front of the judges,” she admitted. “If I win, I’d like to take third place, as I would get to travel around China.”
The Chinese Bridge Competition invites students to test their Mandarin skills, perform a cultural talent, and sit a language knowledge test. For Southern River College, the challenge is not just about language, it’s about growth.
Ms Hamilton, the school’s Chinese Language Coordinator, said she encouraged students to take part to help accelerate their learning.
“Preparing for a competition like this requires students to memorise vocabulary and pronunciations far beyond what you’d normally teach in a classroom,” she said.
She knows the experience firsthand. As a university student, she competed in the same event, singing a Mandarin version of How Far I’ll Go from Moana. For her, it wasn’t about winning, but confidence.
“I think anyone who is brave enough to get up on stage and speak a language that is completely unfamiliar to them is rewarded with a newfound sense of confidence and self-belief.”
Year nine student Hamida Mohammadi agreed. She is singing in Mandarin, and though it’s been difficult, she says the support from teachers and volunteers has made a big difference.
“The rewarding part is that I’ve learned my song and know how to rhyme it and sing it,” she said. “The most challenging part has been learning the knowledge for the multiple-choice competition.”
Hamida practices daily and says she would be “over the moon” if she won. “I’ve gained confidence and pride in how far I’ve come in learning Chinese,” she said. “It’s been exciting.”
Supporting the students behind the scenes is the Gosnells Chinese Association, with volunteers helping the group prepare each week.
City of Gosnells Councillor Emma Zhang, who also leads the association, says backing the students aligns with their mission to promote education and cultural exchange.
“Cultural exchange plays a crucial role in fostering understanding and unity within the Gosnells community,” she said. “Events like this celebrate our multicultural identity and help equip students with valuable skills.”
For now, the students are focused on learning, practising and pushing past nerves. And whether they place in the competition or not, their courage has already made them stand out.
As Ms Hamilton put it, “If they can dream it, they can do it.”
