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PRIMARY SCHOOLS’ QUIZ 2025 NAILBITER Youth Speaks 2025 Young Musician 2025 Sportive August 2025 END POLIO NOW! Before (2023) and After (2024) Young Artist Competition 2022 More than 1,000 native trees planted in Kirkcudbright Kirkcudbright Rotary Club Short Story Competition 2022 Rotary supports Young Environmentalists
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Youth Speaks 2025

Pupils step forward


The Cochran Hall at Kirkcudbright Academy was recently the venue for the Youth Speaks Competition, sponsored by the town’s Rotary Club and arranged by the Academy’s geography teacher Miss McEwen.  Eleven pupils, from S1 upwards, informed and entertained the appreciative audience.
During his introduction and welcome, MC for the event, Rotarian Gavin Scott, thanked Miss McEwen for encouraging pupils to take part, and commented upon the long tradition of this annual competition which dates back to 1982.   He explained that the winner from the senior section of the competition would be awarded the Jim Scott Memorial Trophy, with the winner of the junior section being awarded a decorative quaich donated some years ago by Rotarians Anne and Maurice Halliday.  During their presentations, some of the pupils dealt with issues of modern life about which they felt strongly, whilst others concentrated more on personal interests.  A wide range of topics were covered, including ‘Euthanasia vs Assisted Dying’’, ‘Foxy Knoxy: A Masterclass in Manipulation’, and ‘The Progression of Women in Agriculture’.  
On this occasion the judging panel was comprised of Miss J Collins, representing the Academy, Neil Cavers, representing the local community, and Rotarian, Gordon Cowan.  In providing constructive feedback, Gordon Cowan emphasised to the audience the difficulty he and his fellow judges had faced in assessing and placing what were well researched, constructively framed and confidently presented talks.  
The winners from the junior section were 1 – Loic MacArthur, 2 – Fiona Arnold-Neil, and 3 – Ben-Levi Welby; and, from the senior section, were 1 – Max McFarlane, 2 – Hazel Dempster, and 3 – Isla Dodds.   Rotary president Richard Haslam-Jones presented the prizes, with each pupil also receiving a Participation Certificate.  During the interval a number of senior pupils served refreshments which were greatly appreciated.
In his closing remarks Gavin Scott observed that the competition had again been a great success.  Completing a comprehensive vote of thanks, he paid special tribute to all eleven speakers.

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Wildflower meadow courtesy of Rotary Kirkcudbright

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