Otamatea High student wins Rotary speech contest

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Three finalists from secondary schools in the lower north gave speeches at the Maungaturoto and Districts Rotary Club dinner meeting on Tuesday August 30.

Blake Sims from Otamatea High School was the eventual winner of the southern zone final, speaking about Male Suicide, The Silent Epidemic.

He will now goes forward to compete against other Northland schools in Whangarei.

Second place went to Heath Kewnne, Bream Bay College; and third place Emma Rankin, Otamatea High School.

Marks were given for subject matter, introduction, points and flow of the speech, topic, conclusion, delivery, style, technique and content.

They were also judged on a 90–120 second impromptu speech.

Adjudicators Beth Dalebrook, Bruce Nelder and Natalie Epsom said that the speeches were of an extremely high standard and all finalists were to be congratulated.

The Rotary Club of Whangarei started this speech competition in 1961 when the late Huge Rishworth, a past president of that club, donated a cup as a prize for the winner of the speech contest.

The annual competition has now become a prestigious event and a challenge for senior students throughout Northland.

The specific aim of the contest is to promote the art of public speaking amongst young people and to encourage all Northland secondary schools to do likewise.

ALL TALK: Emma Rankin, Blake Sims, and Heath Kewnne impressed the judges.