30 June 2025
Our Lower Sixth learnt lots of techniques for effective public speaking during a recent all-day workshop. Jovie, who won the competition that concluded the session, explains more.
Jovie, Deputy Head Girl
We started off by pairing up and introducing our partner, which was a great icebreaker activity. As our instructor explained, it’s much easier to introduce and compliment a friend than it is to talk about yourself. We also discussed topics such as "where you would be least likely to find me" and "your ambition in life", which were quite insightful and fun to talk about.
Other interactive activities included making impromptu speeches to explain the meaning of an old English word. My favourite part of the day was when we each did a speech in small groups, which not only prepared us for speaking in front of a larger audience but also helped us learn more about each other as we each chose topics that were important to us.
At the end of the afternoon, some of us were selected as finalists to present our speeches in front of the whole year group in the auditorium. Everyone performed amazingly, and we covered a wide range of topics: from Hannah speaking about a Supreme Court ruling to Waishe’s love for Nando’s, Imani’s inspiring speech about dreams to Sophie’s discussion of whether we have ever lived in a time of peace, Ottie’s first dance competition to Rosie and Immy encouraging gratitude towards education – amongst many others. I chose to speak about women’s health and I’m really grateful to have had this opportunity to share my thoughts on something I’m very passionate about with my year group. As well as cherishing the feedback I received, I’m going to do my best to implement the techniques I learnt into other public speaking opportunities in the future.