Rotary Youth Speaks 2026: Inspiring Student Debaters at the Cluster Final in Cambridge

Rotary has always been at the forefront of providing a platform for young people, supporting, encouraging, and inspiring them to develop and progress in every possible way. Youth Speaks is one such platform.

Youth Speaks is a debating competition between schools. Participants are required to research a given topic and present their arguments within a structured format, consisting of a proposer, an opposer, and a chairperson (moderator), all within a set time limit. At the end of each presentation, students are also required to respond to a question. Winners of the local heats progress to the District level, and from there to the Cluster Final, where four districts compete.

This week, the Cluster Final took place in Cambridge. The Intermediate competition began at 10:30am, with a warm welcome to parents, teachers, and students from District Governor Elect, Professor Dr Kendal Pitt. Kendal outlined the principles of Rotary and congratulated the young participants on reaching this advanced stage of the competition. He encouraged them to stand by their convictions and continue using their voices to make a positive difference.

Following an outstanding series of performances from all schools, the judges faced the difficult task of selecting the winners. After careful deliberation, the results were announced.

District 1080 Governor Ian Graham delivered the closing remarks, thanking the judges for their time and dedication. The judging panel included distinguished individuals such as Dr Yvonne Maduka, a Rotary Scholar from Nigeria currently pursuing a Master’s degree in Public Health at the University of Hertfordshire, and Sumanth Kondapalli, a Rotary Scholar and Neuroscience graduate from the University of Pennsylvania, who has also conducted research at the Mayo Clinic. The head judge, Steve Gardner, is a retired chartered accountant with an extensive career in finance, including roles at Barclays and Credit Suisse, and has also served on the Council of Durham University.

The winners of Youth Speaks 2026 are:

Intermediate Competition
Winning Team: St Joseph's College, Ipswich
Best Chair: Amelie Bishop-Beisty (St Joseph’s, Reading)
Best Proposer: Tiwa Adeyeye (St Joseph’s)
Best Opposer: Katie Singer (Dame Alice Owen’s)

Senior Competition
Winning Team: Chesterton Community College, Cambridge
Best Chair: Lilybetty Holden (Chesterton)
Best Proposer: Rui Saito (St Joseph’s)
Best Opposer: Sophie Kaskos (St Albans)