Our English teacher, Ms. Lin, tells us that our class will join the school's English reading contest next Friday. When she first says this, many students feel that the task is too hard. Some think that their English is not good enough. However, Ms. Lin smiles and says that she believes in every one of us.
Ms. Lin explains that the most important thing is not winning but giving our best effort. She tells us that she knows we have worked hard for weeks, and that makes her proud. She also believes that working as a team will help us go further than we think.
We begin to practice together every day after school. We cheer each other on and share tips on how to say the words more clearly. Soon, we notice that our reading becomes smoother and clearer. Some students find that speaking in front of others is not as scary as they thought. Little by little, we all start to believe that improvement is possible for everyone.
On the morning of the contest, I feel nervous. But when I look at my classmates, I know that we are ready. We have practiced so hard that all of us feel confident on the stage. As I look out at the large audience, I say to myself, "I believe that we can do it."
After the contest, we win second place. The result makes us happy, but we discover that the feeling of working together matters even more. From this experience, everyone in our class knows that confidence and effort are more powerful than we once thought.