After weeks of preparation and writing, on Monday 27 May, five enthusiastic St Catherine’s students took part in the Legacy Junior Public Speaking Award, for which we are a host school. These girls were: Jemima Wilcox (Year 8), Ava Colosimo (Year 8), Christina Wu (Year 8), Keke Deng (Year 7) and Flora Du (Year 8). This Award is a public speaking competition which requires students to deliver a two minute impromptu speech and a five minute prepared speech about service to the country or related topics such as mateship, sacrifice or voluntary service.

Personally, I found taking part in the competition to be a great opportunity to develop my public speaking skills, as well as an eye-opening experience in witnessing a range of different styles of presentation and seeing a range of diverse ways that students can present a similar message but delivering it with their own personality. I found the experience to be insightful as I learnt new skills and met new students along the way, as well as being able to appreciate the diverse ways that fellow students think.

Everyone who participated in the Legacy Junior Public Speaking Award delivered a thoughtful speech, some showing strengths towards delivering emotion, whilst others had strengths in showing personality. In particular, we would like to congratulate Jemima Wilcox for winning 1st place in this Regional Heat with her speech entitled, ‘Genuine Treasure’, and Ava Colosimo for receiving a Commendation for her speech on the subject of ‘the Kindness of Strangers’.

Jemima Wilcox (Year 8) was awarded 1st place with her speech entitled, ‘Genuine Treasure’.

We are also very appreciative of all the mentors and teachers who have helped us in preparing for the competition, particularly Sophie Hogan (Year 11), Flynn O’Brien (Year 12), Emily Sutherland (Year 12), Sophie Turnbull (Year 12), Gabriella Tymms (Year 12), and our teachers, Miss Bec Reggars and Ms Mary-Anne Keratiotis, for guiding our content and presentations for our preparation as well as impromptu speeches.

Ava Colosimo received a Commendation for her speech on the topic ‘the Kindness of Strangers’.