PUPILS in south Warwickshire got a chance to show off their gift of the gab.
Warwick Rotary Club’s annual Youth Speaks competition saw 21 young people compete in seven teams from Kineton High School, Kingsley School, Warwick School, and Kings High. Students competed as Intermediates (11-13), or Seniors (14 -17), with prizes awarded to the winning teams.
Each team of three members had 15 minutes to debate a topic of their choosing. The intermediates chose to debate whether “Smart phones should be allowed in schools”; “Is re-sale acceptable”; “Pupils should not have to learn another language”, and “Museums should offer to return artefacts to their country of origin”; while seniors considered whether ”Christmas celebrations start too early”; “Curiosity is humanity’s greatest strength”; and “All drugs should be de-criminalised”.
The event gives young people a chance to voice their opinions on topics they feel strongly about and demands significant research, knowledge and the confidence to present arguments clearly and concisely.
The contestants were judged by an experienced panel well steeped in the art of public speaking. The event was hosted by rotary club president Jon Wassall and was attended by Warwick mayor Coun Jackie D’Arcy, parents and colleagues.
The intermediates competition was won by a team from Warwick School, and the senior competition was won by a team from Kings High School.
Coun D’Arcy presented book tokens donated by Warwick Books to the winning teams.
