Success at the ‘Youth Speaks’ competition

12.03.2024

On Thursday 29 February, three girls from Year 5 travelled to St Mary’s, Gerrards Cross to take part in their annual ‘Youth Speaks’ competition. This contest is designed to empower children to present, argue, reason and debate in a public forum showcasing their presentation and public speaking skills. Children are free to choose their own topic but they must adhere to a given structure.

Etta, Evie and Myra all worked very hard in the weeks leading up to the contest to write and rehearse a speech on their chosen topic: ‘The Importance of a Growth Mindset’. On the day, they delivered their speech with a calm confidence. They spoke at a good pace and the volume and intonation all contributed to the high level of audience engagement which they succeeded in creating. Etta was delighted to be awarded the runner up for best individual speaker.

The girls were a credit to High March, not just in terms of the way they presented, but also in their conduct throughout the event. They actively listened to other groups and did not hesitate to offer their congratulations to other teams. Although we did not win overall (pipped at the post by Thorpe House’s speech advocating for the use of video games), the girls all gained valuable skills and life experience and had a wonderful evening to boot!

Well done, girls, you were outstanding from start to finish.