ETA Navara Syed hosted the first-ever local WORDS competition at SMKN 6 Padang! For the past six weeks, 13 students in 10th and 11th grades have been preparing for the competition. Students outlined, drafted, wrote, rewrote, and practiced presenting their stories in weekly workshops hosted by Navara.

A total of five WORDS preparation sessions were held at SMKN 6 Padang, covering various topics. These topics included Brainstorming, Parts of a Story, Outlining a Story, Writing, and Performance Tips. Students first practiced individually, then in pairs or small groups, and finally in front of the entire group, including Navara.

On the day of the competition, students came dressed in various costumes — one was a fox, while another was a dragon; someone even dressed up as their Nenek! (grandmother). One after another, each student presented their story, none lacking in passion or enthusiasm. After two hours of watching and deliberating, the judges finally picked their winners, though they wished they could have picked more. The local WORDS competition brought out a new level of passion and confidence in English that the students of SMKN 6 Padang had not displayed before.

Navara Syed is currently teaching at SMKN 6 Padang, West Sumatra.