Speeches make an impact

BOBBIE NICHOLLS/Feilding Herald

GOOD WORDS: The finalists in the year seven and eight Feilding school cluster speech competitions.

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"The four who did not win were cheated, the scores were so close," adjudicator David Byrne told the six finalists in a speech contest for year seven and eight pupils last week.

Senior pupils from Feilding's three recapitulated schools, Halcombe, St Joseph's School (SJS) and North Street School (NSS), competed for speech trophies, the finals being held at St Joseph's before an audience of parents and teachers.

Feilding High School teacher Mr Byrne urged all six to keep up public speaking and to join debating when they reached secondary school.

"It is a skill which will serve you well as an adult," Mr Byrne said.

He was very impressed with the standard of speeches from the finalists, each of whom chose a very different way of interpreting the subject "If I could change one thing in the world".

Jordan Miller (NSS) spoke against animal cruelty. Benjamin Langtry (Halcombe) brought poverty to a personal level, saying education was the key. Bradley Fairhurst (SJS) brought tears to many eyes speaking about his late father.

Molly Jowsey's (NSS) subject was her classmates, mad language and cellphones. Brodie Jackson caused laughter with his speech about his younger sister. Annie Webster, wanting to remove the attention given to the way we look, stated: "Everybody is absolutely gorgeous in their own way."

Both year's trophies were awarded to Halcombe School pupils.