Students talk up a storm

By Callan Date
THERE may not have been any ‘I have a dream’ quotes at a student speech night last week, but many children had the audience hanging on their every word.
Famous speeches stand the test of time and have the ability to do many things – galvanise a nation, fight back against prejudice and – the flipside – result in death and destruction.
About 100 people gathered at the Cardinia Cultural Centre for the seventh annual Rotary Club of Pakenham’s Primary Schools Public Speaking Competition and they weren’t disappointed.
Although the grade six students from 10 different schools across Cardinia were not addressing a nation on a life or death situation, based on the some of the performances, they may well do so in the future.
Students had a choice of subjects, including role models, should homework be banned, how communities overcome natural disasters and the importance of sport in a healthy lifestyle.
There was a nervous energy in the air that only comes with 20 youngsters preparing to present a speech in front of family, friends and fellow speakers.
But each talk was well researched, entertaining and had the audience wanting more until the echo of the threeminute warning bell signalled an end to each speech.
Columba Catholic student Meg Barton won first prize with her speech on role models in society. Meg contrasted the famous sporting careers of cricketer Shane Warne and footballer Jim Stynes to great effect and impressed the judges with her articulate and forceful delivery.
Ask any grade six student if homework should be banned and you are more than likely to get a blunt yes. But Pakenham Consolidated’s Holly Player gave the judges a lot more than just a oneword answer.
Holly spoke about the need for a more active lifestyle once the school day had finished and her belief that homework restricted these opportunities. Her efforts resulted in a loud applause and second placing on the night.
St Patrick’s Jessie Hilder took third place with a wellplanned piece on the Life Be In It campaign.
Cardinia councillor Kate Lempriere compered the evening.
Pakenham Consolidated student Rhys Russell was highly commended and awarded the President’s Choice award for his powerful speech, also on the Life Be In It campaign, that made you want to run home from the cultural centre rather than drive.
Judges also congratulated Robert Oates on his motivating talk about the importance of participation in sport. Robert took home the New Generation Chairman’s award, along with the experience of speaking in a large theatre in front of a big crowd.
The other 14 speakers all engaged the crowd with their dialogue and will move into secondary school next year confident they have the ability to share a dream of their own.