Triumph at Rotary Youth Speaks Competition
The Leys School has secured first place in the Rotary Youth Speaks Competition held at Queens College on the evening of 28 November. Competing against six other formidable teams from the local area, our team delivered an outstanding performance that earned them the top spot.
The three-person team, consisting of Somi M (Chairperson), Jonathan S (Proposer), and Tife Y (Opposer), captivated the audience with their well-researched and polished speech on the motion “This House would be prepared to break the law”. Their dedication to the topic was evident, as they had been meeting in the library for evening rehearsals, honing their arguments and delivery.
The competition, which requires participants to argue both sides of a chosen topic, saw The Leys team speaking last out of the seven teams. Despite the extended duration of the event, which ran over an hour longer than initially advertised, the team chose to forgo the use of a microphone and lectern, relying instead on their own vocal strength and minimal cue cards. This decision paid off, as they commanded the attention of the entire audience.
Mrs Divito, Debating Coordinator at The Leys, expressed her pride in the team, stating: “Their speech was well-researched, well-paced, polished, and very informative. They were friendly, sociable, kind, and incredibly mature. When announced as winners, they accepted the prize with real grace, and I was very proud of them.”
The Leys team will now advance to the District Final, scheduled to take place on 8 February at the Norfolk County Council Chamber in Norwich. The school community eagerly anticipates their continued success in the upcoming rounds of the competition.