SCHOOL NEWS: Swanmead orators win Youth Speaks contest

YOUNG public speakers were congratulated on their fantastic efforts during the annual Youth Speaks Junior Competition organised by the Rotary Club of Ilminster.

And it was home honours in the contest as a team from Swanmead School in Ilminster, who hosted the event, took first place with their subject entitled “The Real Price of Watching Sport.”

The team of chairman Noah Baker, speaker Harrison Reeve and proposer Joseph Baker were congratulated on a superb effort by the adjudicating panel of Charles Clark, of competition sponsors Greenslade Taylor Hunt, Warehouse Theatre producer Ruth Proctor and Wadham School’s head of English, Richard D’Rozario.

Swanmead’s Joseph Baker was also named Best Boy on the night by the panel.

Also competing in the competition were two teams from Buckland St Mary Primary School, Neroche Primary School at Broadway, Combe St Nicholas Primary School and two teams from the Levels Academy Trust which is based at Langport.

Adjudicators were extremely impressed by the standard of performance from the pupils with panel chairman Mr Clark, who has recently been named the new chairman of Somerset County Cricket Club, said: “The pupils acquitted themselves extremely well. You could tell that they had all worked so hard and they should all be, without question, extremely proud of their efforts.

“I’m sure they were very nervous beforehand and I’m sure they would all sleep a lot better afterwards.”

Mr Clark, who has been involved in the competition for around 20 years, said that this year’s competition was one of the hardest to judge.

“There was very little difference between first and seventh,” he added.

PHOTO - TOP: The winning team members and substitutes from Swanmead School in Ilminster.

PHOTO - RIGHT: The winners along with adjudicators (from left) Richard D'Rozario, Ruth Proctor and Charles Clark.

Runners-up in the competition were the Levels Academy Team Two of Stanley Longly, Daniel Davies and Oliver James who spoke about “Should the NHS and Government Provide More Funding for Mental Health?” Daniel and Oliver were also commended for their individual performances.

The Levels Academy Team One of Ruby Kelland, Alexandre Plaskasoviti and Amelie Richardson came third with their talk entitled “Should Hallowe’en be Replaced by a Day of the Dead Festival in the UK?” Alexandre was named Best Girl on the night for her performance.

The Buckland St Mary Team One of Deborah Gilbert, Misha Lanham and Grace Farmer spoke about “Stop Discriminating against Disability” with Misha being commended by the judges.

Team Two from Buckland of Isabella Slade, Hannah Hill and Imogen Pym talked about “Animal Cruelty” and Hannah was also commended.

“Should Books be made into Films?” was the topic discussed by Evie Guy, Megan Wrenn and Rowan Brock with Evie being commended by the adjudicators for her performance.

And the Combe St Nicholas team spoke about “Driving for a Greener World” with Alfie Glasper, George Chapple and Matilda Walbridge who was also commended on the night.

Tony Walker, of Ilminster Rotary Club, thanked everyone involved in making the competition such a success once again – with special praise for the pupils themselves.

“Thank you to all the schools who took part and the teachers involved,” he said. “It is perfectly evident that they the pupils the confidence to stand in front of an audience and produce a series of first-class presentations.”

PHOTO - ABOVE: Runners-up - Levels Academy Team Two.

PHOTO - ABOVE: Third-placed - Levels Academy Team One.

PHOTO - ABOVE: Buckland St Mary Team Two discuss Animal Cruelty with (from left) Hannah Hill, Isabella Slade and Imogen Pym.

PHOTO - ABOVE: All of the competitors.

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