Nurkhalida Shabery is passionate about teaching and helping the underserved.
That was why she is delighted to be a part of this year’s Highly Immersive Programme (HIP) Max StoryFest competition that aims to boost participants’ confidence in spoken English.
Together with service provider Evolution, Nurkhalida said StoryFest is part of the Maxis eKelas programme, which has been running for the past six years.
Those interested can register at https://www.ekelas.com.my/portal/activities/competition/8. The competition ends on July 10.
Besides online and physical workshops, Nurkhalida has also enlisted the help of KL Shakespeare Players to conduct roadshows.
“The programme is not just for those living in Selangor and Kuala Lumpur. We will have roadshows in Bintulu (Sarawak), Kuala Terengganu (Terengganu), Kulim (Kedah) and Kluang (Johor), too,” said Nurkhalida.
“These workshops are free. We hope to engage with children in public schools, both primary and secondary, via the roadshows.
“We want to spread the news about this opportunity to as many children as possible, so we can get more submissions for the competition.”
She said KL Shakespeare Players will focus on workshops on theatre performances, as the idea is to let children know that it is not too difficult to turn a story into a play.
“During the two-hour workshops, we will share with them one story, and the process to discuss and act it out, on the spot,” said Nurkhalida.
“The aim is for them to complete their idea and then submit their entries straight away.
“If we ask them to wait and submit it later, we may not secure their commitment. There are many good prizes up for grabs.”
Launched on May 2, the first workshop was on May 23.
“The response from parents, teachers, and students was good, but we can do more,” said Nurkhalida.
“We hope to get more coverage on the programme, as many are still unaware of it. The more people we can get into the programme, the better.”
Last year’s StoryFest received more than 8,000 entries nationwide. Students took part in group mini-dramas centred around topics, and individual storytelling contests.