REGION - Presentations of a high standard on a wide range of topics were presented by 12 students at the Ararat Legacy Junior Public Speaking Awards regional final at the Astor Cinema Complex.
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The students represented Ararat College, Marian College, Beaufort Secondary College and Stawell Secondary College.
The Public Speaking Awards, for students aged 12 - 14 years, require participants involved to present a five minute prepared speech on a topic of their choice on any subject relating to the ideals of voluntary service, social justice, caring, personal effort, sacrifice and/or mateship. This was then followed by a two minute impromptu speech with only five minutes' preparation time. Each student was given the same topic of 'If only' and this was intended to reveal an ability to develop a point of view on a general topic and to organise an interesting presentation within limited preparation time.
On the day the judges Frank Kitchen, Lee Albert and Pam Weller selected Bianca Gerrard from Beaufort Secondary College who spoke on 'Strong Women' as the winner, with Dana Carlson also from Beaufort Secondary College who presented on 'Courage' as the runner-up. Bianca will now go on to participate at the preliminary final to be held in Bendigo in September.
All students participating were presented with certificates with the winner also receiving $100 towards travel and participation at the next stage of the awards and the runner up receiving a copy of the Australian War Memorial ANZAC handbook guide to the Western Front.
Master of ceremonies for the final was again Legatee Gordon Archer from Melbourne Legacy who has come to Ararat over the past few years and every year is impressed by what is presented by the students, the support of the colleges and importantly that Ararat Legacy is proactively promoting such a worthwhile event for students throughout the region.
"On behalf of Ararat Legatees I would like to thank and congratulate all the secondary colleges involved and particularly the participating students for their support to the Ararat regional final of the Melbourne Legacy Public Speaking Awards, which are presented with the co-operation of the Victoria Department of Education and Early Childhood Development," Ararat Legacy president Kevin Bowles said.
"The standard of all student speakers was extremely high this year with Beaufort College again being successful taking out the winner's award and also the runner up award.
"Ararat Legacy hopes the experience has proved valuable to all the students involved and we look forward to having all secondary colleges across the Ararat Legacy region involved next year. We wish our winner Bianca Gerrard all the very best at the Bendigo."