Year 6 students reflect on their heroes at the IPSHA Public Speaking competition
Three of Wenona’s Year 6 students (Kate, Amelia and Millie) gave their reflections on what they think a hero is at the inaugural IPSHA Public Speaking competition at Abbotsleigh on Thursday 10 November, 2016.
Millie made it through to the finals, competing against eight other speakers. Her adjudicator marked the finalists based on eye contact and strong messages. Millie was thrilled to have the opportunity to learn from some of the best public speakers across 26 of New South Wales’ Independent Schools. “I thought it was really from to listen to everyone else and learn from what they were saying,” she said.
Amelia felt the competition built her confidence as a public speaker. “I’m nervous right until before I speak, but then it’s fine when I’m up there,” she said. Amelia chose to focus not on a particular hero of hers, but how it’s important for us to be our own heroes. She drummed the point home: “We have to be heroes for our family, our friends, and most importantly, ourselves, to get through the rough times.”
Kate and Millie and are on the debating team and will perform at Wenona’s Hooke House Public Speaking competition on Friday 11 November, 2016. For her IPSHA speech, Kate focused on the ordinary, unrecognised people in the community: “I spoke about a foster mum and Rosa Parks,” she said.
All three girls were impressed by the competition’s winner – a boy who spoke without using palm cards. They have made their next public speaking goal to talk from dot points, rather than a written out speech on palm cards.