#Congrats | BAers Win Two Gold Awards at Stanford University WAPI Speech Competition!
The 2026 Spring Wit and Pep Initiative (WAPI) concluded in June. BAID students Kuang Zhiyu and Hu Jinghan received Gold Awards in the Future Pioneers division (ages 15-18) and Rising Stars division (ages 10-14), respectively. Competing alongside students from across China, they demonstrated strong English communication and independent thinking, supported by a broad global perspective.
WAPI (Wit and Pep Initiative), part of Stanford e-China under the Stanford Program on International and Cross-Cultural Education (SPICE), engages young people in exploring global issues through public speaking and writing. Its six themes cover Technology and Innovation; Environmental Sustainability; Health and Well-being; Education and Learning; Business and Economics; and Culture and the Arts. Participants examine real issues without predetermined answers, consider different perspectives, and develop independent viewpoints.
WAPI also includes Super Day, where participants deliver a prepared speech and respond to judges' questions in real time. The format requires them to think quickly and listen closely while engaging in substantive dialogue under pressure, providing a broad assessment of their communication and critical thinking.
As a WAPI partner school, BAID students qualify directly for the semi-final round. The school provided extensive preparation support and invited a previous WAPI Finals Gold Award recipient to mentor this year's participants, sharing experience and resources on speech development and topic selection. After the Super Day shortlist was announced, students received further guidance focused on responding effectively to impromptu questions. Throughout the process, they repeatedly revised their scripts and clarified their reasoning while reconsidering their ideas from different perspectives.
During the competition, Kuang Zhiyu and Hu Jinghan drew on their own observations to present thoughtful perspectives on issues relevant to young people. During the Super Day Q&A, both students remained composed, listened carefully, and responded with clear reasoning. Their Gold Awards recognized their individual performances while also reflecting BAID's continued emphasis on international learning and innovative education.
Award Reflections
Kuang Zhiyu
Looking back on the entire preparation process, my greatest gain was the growth I experienced along the way. When I first began preparing, I was unfamiliar with natural English expression and the structure of an effective live speech. My early drafts relied heavily on formulaic language and straightforward presentation, resembling the classroom presentations I was used to. They had limited personal analysis and emotional engagement.
To improve, I actively sought advice from a previous WAPI award recipient while studying strong speeches and collecting natural English expressions. I also spent considerable time revising the structure of my speech. Through repeated revision and reflection, I gradually understood that an effective speech comes from sincere ideas expressed with clarity and depth. I learned to write more naturally, develop my ideas more fully, and give my speech a distinct personal voice.
The process of exploring different approaches and revising repeatedly became the most valuable part of the competition for me. It helped me move beyond formulaic learning and develop greater independence in thinking and revision.
Finally, I would like to thank BAID for providing this opportunity, as well as my instructors and senior schoolmate for their guidance. I will continue challenging myself as I develop my language skills.
Hu Jinghan
I am honored to have received a Gold Award at WAPI and to have learned so much through the experience. Looking back, the competition gave me an opportunity to reflect deeply on myself and my learning, as well as on the role young people can play today. BAID's support has been present throughout that process.
I have loved public speaking and performing from an early age. Five years ago, I competed in the national finals of the Star of Outlook English Talent Competition and placed sixth nationwide. At the time, I was certain that communication was both an interest and a strength of mine. After entering middle school, heavier academic demands and admissions pressure took priority, and I gradually set that interest aside.
In Grade 9, I began thinking seriously about the kind of education I wanted. I hoped for an environment that recognized more dimensions of student growth and gave me greater freedom to pursue my interests within an international setting. That decision brought me to BAID.
Since joining the school, one of my strongest impressions has been its respect for each student's individual interests and desire to explore. BAID regularly shares opportunities for international competitions and encourages students to pursue experiences aligned with their interests. Before WAPI, I had never participated in an international speaking program of this kind. The resources provided by the school and the encouragement of my instructors gave me the confidence to participate.
This spring, I began preparing for WAPI while also working intensively with my robotics team on a technology project. During a critical stage of building our Mecanum wheel chassis, we encountered major technical difficulties. We worked through PID tuning and trigonometric calculations, then wrote the code line by line. For several months, we repeatedly revised our approach and worked through each technical problem.
Late one night, we tried using artificial intelligence to assist with the problem. Within seconds, it produced a complete block of executable code. When we ran it on the robot, it performed with zero error in our trial.
I was excited, but the result also raised a difficult question for me. If AI could complete in seconds work that had required months of study and repeated revision from us, what value remained in human learning and persistence?
That question became the central idea of my WAPI speech. I based the speech on my own experience and argued that AI can automate routine technical execution. Independent thinking, perseverance, creativity, and genuine passion remain distinctly human strengths.
Once I had settled on the topic, developing the speech took considerable time. I spent many evenings revising individual sentences and strengthening the logic of my argument. Throughout the process, my instructors offered detailed guidance on both the writing and my delivery. A previous WAPI award recipient also gave me careful feedback. Their support helped me organize scattered ideas into a coherent speech with greater depth and force.
When I finally stood on the WAPI stage under the lights, I felt calm and confident. I also felt supported by my school, instructors, teammates, and class. Their encouragement gave me the confidence to express my ideas clearly before an audience.
Alongside the speech competition, I also participated in WAPI Weekend technology activities. Working with my team, I experimented with AI and used it to build complete projects from my own ideas. The interdisciplinary experience expanded my perspective and encouraged me to explore beyond familiar areas.
I am especially proud that two students from our class received Gold Awards this year. Growing alongside classmates who are disciplined and supportive, while encouraging one another throughout the process, became the part of the competition I valued most.
I am deeply grateful to BAID for giving us access to international opportunities and supporting our individual interests. I also thank my instructors for their professional guidance and patience throughout the process. My classmates and teammates gave me encouragement at every stage.
Standing on an international stage in my Beijing Academy uniform, I knew that I represented both myself and the wider BAID community. I value this award as recognition of my own effort and of the support I have received from my school and instructors.
In the future, I will continue thinking independently and pursuing the interests I care about while remaining open to new challenges. Be Heard, Be Seen, Be You!
BAID has long valued both participation in international competitions and the learning that occurs throughout preparation. The school encourages students to think independently and respect different perspectives while expressing their ideas clearly. Students are also encouraged to remain connected to their own communities while engaging with people and ideas from around the world.
Congratulations to Kuang Zhiyu and Hu Jinghan. We look forward to seeing more BAIDers express their ideas with confidence and continue growing through new experiences.
This AI translation is provided for reference only. Please verify with original Chinese version.