Students flex public speaking skills

YOUNG orators took centre stage this week at St Patrick’s College Ballarat’s performing arts centre as part of the national final of the Legacy Junior Public Speaking Competition.

Taking place on Monday, and for the first time in Ballarat, the competition saw six students from high schools across Australia presenting both prepared and impromptu speeches.

Year 9 student Shannon Mhasho, from Monivae College in Hamilton, was one of two finalists representing Victoria during the event.

Presenting on mateship, she said participating in the competition and making her way to the finals has been a validating experience for her public speaking capabilities.

“This is my first time at nationals and it’s such a good experience,” she said. “The weekend’s been really lovely and I’ve mad new friends.

“The whole experience, and Legacy in general, has really helped develop me as a public speaker. At the start I wasn’t as experienced as the other kids, but now standing up there, it comes to you and feels natural.

“I was going through the Legacy values and mateship really stuck out to me because that’s such an important value to me personally.”

Other finalists visited from Portland Secondary College, as well as South Australia’s Scotch and Seymour colleges, and Wynard High School and Scotch Oakburn College in Tasmania.

The competition’s Victorian coordinator Allan McKinnon said it’s been introducing young people to the work of Legacy while giving them public speaking skills for nearly three decades.

“It’s a middle range competition for Years 7 to 12 which gives them a way about learning about Legacy and giving them confidence,” he said.

“We had 14 students competing in the local competition here in Ballarat, 12 at the state final and we normally have eight students but New South Wales had to pull out so we’re hoping next year it will be back to a full complement.”

Willow Cummins from Wynard High School received first place for her ‘To survive or to thrive’ presentation.

Eleanor Driver from Scotch College placed second for her “Boys will be boys” speech and Isabella Taylor from Seymour College won third place for her “Mateship matters” presentation.