by Robert Lloyd
The public speaking team from St John Lloyd School in Llanelli has won its way through to a prestigious national competition final.
The team has been taking part in the Rotary Youth Speaks competition since January.
The St John Lloyd trio of speakers won the Llanelli Rotary Club competition staged at Llanelli Town Hall and then went on to win the Intermediate team section at area, district and regional Rotary finals.
They will now compete against teams from across Britain and Ireland in the final of the Rotary International Great Britain and Ireland (RIBI) Youth Speaks final at Hull University on Sunday (April 28).
The team is made up of – Chair Blaze Roper, Speaker James McMillan and Proposer of Vote of Thanks Greg David.
Their chosen topic has been – The Olympic Legacy. This generation is inspired, so what’s next?
In the regional final staged at Sully, Cardiff, the St John Lloyd pupils added to the Intermediate team awards with individual prizes for Best Chair and Best Speaker.
“It really is a magnificent achievement,” said Llanelli Rotary Club President Alan Owen.
“This is, I believe, the first time a team from the Llanelli round has made it all the way through to a national Rotary final.
“We are all very proud of the pupils and we hope they carry the flag for Llanelli with distinction in the final in Hull. We will be cheering them all the way.”
Mr Owen explained that the Rotary Youth Speaks event offered an annual opportunity for pupils to gain experience of speaking on a public platform.
He said: “It allows young people to form ideas on significant subjects and learn high standards of expression, presentation and appearance. It also gives pupils the experience of accepting impartial assessments and constructive criticism.”
With just minutes to put their argument across, the teams of three must work together to introduce their chosen topic, deliver it in a clear, balanced and entertaining manner and invite the audience to be involved.
The judges are looking for confident performers, clearly articulated points of view and the ability to respond to questions.
Weblink – http://llanellirotary.com/
Help keep news FREE for our readers
Supporting your local community newspaper/online news outlet is crucial now more than ever. If you believe in independent journalism, then consider making a valuable contribution by making a one-time or monthly donation. We operate in rural areas where providing unbiased news can be challenging. Read More About Supporting The West Wales Chronicle
