Joyce stood at the entrance of the community center, her heart pounding in her chest. The colorful banner announcing “Gavel Club: Young Toastmasters” hung above the door, seeming to both welcome and intimidate her. She clutched her notebook tightly, filled with doodles and hastily scribbled notes for her impromptu speech.

“Are you ready, Joyce?” Mrs. Ng’s gentle voice came from behind her. Joyce turned to see her teacher’s encouraging smile.

“I… I think so,” Joyce replied, her voice barely above a whisper. She was grateful Mrs. Ng had offered to accompany her to the first meeting, knowing how nervous she was.

As they entered the room, Joyce was surprised to see about a dozen children her age, chatting animatedly. The atmosphere was lively and far less formal than she had imagined. A few adults stood near the walls, observing with proud smiles – likely parents of the young speakers.

A tall, lanky boy with glasses approached them, his hand extended. “Welcome to Gavel Club! I’m Ethan, the club president. You must be Joyce?”

Joyce nodded, shaking his hand timidly. “Yes, that’s me.”

“Great to have you here! Let me introduce you to everyone,” Ethan said enthusiastically, leading Joyce and Mrs. Ng further into the room.

As Joyce met the other children, she felt her nervousness begin to ebb. They were all friendly and seemed genuinely interested in getting to know her. She met Sarah, a bubbly girl with curly hair who loved telling jokes; Zack, a quiet boy who shared her passion for drawing; and Mei Ling, whose confident demeanor reminded Joyce a little of Nona.

“Alright, everyone! Let’s get started,” called out a cheerful woman in her thirties. “I’m Ms. Chen, the club mentor. Let’s all take our seats.”

Joyce sat between Mrs. Ng and Sarah, feeling a mix of excitement and apprehension. Ms. Chen explained the structure of the meeting – they would start with prepared speeches, followed by Table Topics, an impromptu speaking session.

The first speaker was Ethan. He confidently strode to the front of the room and began a speech about his favorite book series. Joyce watched in awe as he gestured expressively, his voice clear and his words well-chosen. She couldn’t help but compare his confidence to her own shyness in class.

Next up was Mei Ling, who gave a passionate speech about the importance of recycling. Joyce found herself drawn into the topic, impressed by how Mei Ling made something as ordinary as recycling sound exciting.

As the prepared speeches continued, Joyce’s nervousness began to transform into inspiration. She started to imagine herself standing at the front, sharing her own stories and ideas. Her hand unconsciously moved across her notebook, sketching quick doodles that represented the speeches she was hearing.

“Now, it’s time for Table Topics!” Ms. Chen announced. “This is where we practice impromptu speaking. I’ll call on volunteers to speak for one to two minutes on a random topic. Who wants to go first?”

Several hands shot up, including Sarah’s beside her. Joyce marveled at their eagerness to speak on the spot. She watched as Sarah was given the topic “If you could have any superpower, what would it be and why?” Sarah’s eyes lit up as she launched into a hilarious description of being able to talk to animals, complete with impressions of chatty squirrels and gossiping birds.

As more speakers took their turns, Joyce found herself relaxing and even enjoying the impromptu speeches. She was amazed at how quickly the other children could think on their feet, crafting mini-stories and arguments in mere seconds.

“How about our new member?” Ms. Chen suddenly said, her eyes landing on Joyce. “Would you like to give it a try, Joyce?”

Joyce felt a moment of panic, her eyes widening. She looked at Mrs. Ng, who gave her an encouraging nod. Taking a deep breath, Joyce stood up and walked to the front of the room on shaky legs.

“Your topic is: Describe your favorite place in the world,” Ms. Chen said with a warm smile.

Joyce’s mind raced. Her favorite place? She thought of her room, her safe haven filled with books and art supplies. But as she opened her mouth to speak, a different image came to mind – the small park near her house where she often went to draw.

“My… my favorite place,” Joyce began, her voice trembling slightly, “is a little park near my home.” She paused, taking another deep breath. As she continued, her voice grew stronger. “It has this big, old tree with branches that reach out like arms. Sometimes, I sit under it and draw.”

As she spoke, Joyce found herself gesturing, mimicking the way the tree’s branches spread. “The leaves rustle in the wind, and it sounds like they’re whispering stories. There’s a small pond too, where ducks swim in circles, creating ripples that look like… like the rings in a tree trunk.”

Joyce surprised herself with the words flowing from her mouth. She described the way the sunlight dappled through the leaves, creating patterns on the ground that she loved to sketch. She talked about the sense of peace she felt in that park, away from the pressure of school and expectations.

“And when I’m there,” Joyce concluded, her eyes shining, “I feel like I can be myself. Like I can breathe and just… be.”

As she finished, there was a moment of silence before the room erupted in applause. Joyce blinked, suddenly aware of where she was and what she had done. She had spoken, without notes or preparation, for nearly two minutes.

“Wonderful job, Joyce!” Ms. Chen exclaimed. “That was a beautiful description. You really made us feel like we were there in the park with you.”

Joyce returned to her seat, her cheeks flushed with a mix of embarrassment and pride. Sarah gave her a thumbs up, while Zack whispered, “That was awesome!”

Mrs. Ng squeezed her hand. “I’m so proud of you, Joyce. You did brilliantly.”

As the meeting continued, Joyce felt a warm glow of accomplishment. She had done it – she had spoken in front of a group of strangers and they had liked what she said. It was a completely different feeling from the anxiety she usually felt in class.

At the end of the meeting, as everyone was chatting and preparing to leave, Ethan approached Joyce. “That was a great first Table Topic,” he said. “You have a real talent for descriptive speaking. Will you be coming back next week?”

Joyce nodded enthusiastically. “Yes, I’d love to!”

As she and Mrs. Ng left the community center, Joyce felt lighter than she had in months. She clutched her notebook, now filled with new doodles inspired by the meeting.

“So, what did you think?” Mrs. Ng asked as they walked.

Joyce’s face broke into a wide smile. “It was… amazing,” she said. “I was so nervous at first, but everyone was so nice. And when I was speaking, it felt… it felt right, like I was meant to do it.”

Mrs. Ng nodded, her eyes twinkling. “I could see that. You have a natural talent, Joyce. Your descriptions were vivid and engaging. I think you’ve found something special here.”

As they neared Joyce’s house, a small worry crept into her mind. “Do you think… do you think my mom will be okay with me continuing? With the exams coming up…”

Mrs. Ng placed a gentle hand on Joyce’s shoulder. “Let’s talk to her together. I think when she sees how much this means to you, and how it can help you in other areas of your life, she’ll understand.”

Joyce nodded, feeling a mix of hope and apprehension. As they approached her front door, she took a deep breath, ready to face whatever came next. For the first time in a long while, she felt truly excited about something, and she was determined to hold onto that feeling.

The door opened, and Mdm Leong appeared, her eyebrows raised in question. “How did it go?” she asked, her tone neutral.

Joyce looked up at her mother, a new confidence in her eyes. “Mom,” she said, her voice steady, “I have so much to tell you.”