The final round of the Grade 10 Public Speaking Contest at Trinity College School was held on May 15th in the Dick and Jane LeVan Theatre. Speeches focused on Canadians who have made a significant contribution to their field and/or the world around them. Every Grade 10 student researched, prepared and delivered a speech for their English class. The top student from each class then participated in the finals.

Over the past three years, the English department has attempted to diversify the list of topics to ensure that it accurately reflects Canada’s rich history. The topics discussed at the finals reflected this change, with many of the speeches heralding various Canadians’ work to create a more socially just and equitable society.

Former faculty member Mr. Peter Kedwell generously sponsored the competition. The event was hosted by two prefects, Viana Biscoe and Carmella Ylagan. They entertained the audience by providing interesting facts about each speaker as they were introduced.

Each year, we are impressed with the calibre of speakers and their confidence and poise in front of an audience. This year, the judges conveyed their admiration for the perseverance and grit of the speakers as they managed their nerves while speaking in front of a large audience. They also noted that the standard of speeches was consistently high. Thus, the task of judging the contest was both challenging and enjoyable. After much deliberation, the judges awarded first place to Hibah Tahir for her speech on Emily Stowe. Hibah impressed all with her confident and passionate delivery. Her speech highlighted not only Stowe’s contributions to medicine but also how this work inspired Stowe to engage with women’s rights. The judges also wanted to give an honourable mention to Mahi Nanda for her speech on Violet King. The other finalists, in alphabetical order, were: Sophie Ahuja, Elsie MacGill; Charlotte Belanger, Henry Morgentaler; Sajal Billing, Inspector Baltej Singh Dhillon; Ruby Campbell, Mildred Vera Peters; Arjun Sharma, Margaret Atwood; and Hannah Thompson, Cairine Wilson.

Thank you to the judges, Mr. Peter Kedwell, Mr. Doug Mann and Ms. Viola Lyons, for their time and careful deliberations. As well, thank you to Mr. Myke Healy for hosting the webinar.

- By Barb Brough, head of English