Youth Speaks in D1200

 Talented young speakers go head-to-head for victory at the Rotary

Youth Speaks: A Debate Competition

Budding speakers as young as 11 displayed their talents to an impressed audience and judges in the District 1200 Final of the Rotary Youth Speaks: A Debate Competition held at Taunton School on 1st February this year. Grateful thanks were given to the school for being able to use such an excellent venue.

This Competition is just one of eight nationwide competitions for young people ages 11 – 17 that are organised by Rotary in Great Britain and Ireland every year.

10 teams of three – a chair, proposer and opposer - provided an entertaining day of debate. The Sir John Colfox Academy of Bridport emerged victorious in the Senior category, after they made their case for ‘The UK cannot meet the annual population increase’, blowing the judges away. In the intermediate category, King’s College Taunton claimed the prize after winning their debate for ‘The teaching of cookery in schools should be compulsory’.

The competition aims to provide young people the experience of researching and speaking on a public platform as a member of a team about a topic or issue they care about, as well as the opportunity to gain experience and practice high standards of expression, presentation and appearance.

The schools competing as well as Sir John Colfox and King’s College included Hardenhuish School from Chippenham, West Somerset College in Minehead, St Dunstan’s School in Glastonbury, The Blue School from Wells and Courtfields School in Wellington.

This year’s organisers commented. “It’s so inspiring to see so many talented young speakers excelling in a competitive environment. It really is encouraging that competitions like this are still running successfully, proving Rotary can be a real force in improving the futures of young people. Young people are so passionate about the issues and topics they care about, and that shone through with their presentations.”

After winning the district heat, the winners in each of the two categories will now go on to the next stage – the Cluster Final, where they will face the winners from other schools from adjacent districts at Clifton College Preparatory School in Bristol on Sunday 16th March 2025.

Progressing from this effort, Westbury Council are planning on a similar event to be held in Heywood House, later on in 2025.

The event will be spearheaded by Ryan Childs the Events Organiser from Westbury Council, Rotary Club of Westbury and Fiona Boobbyer from Heywood House.

Talented young speakers go head-to-head for victory at the Rotary

Youth Speaks: A Debate Competition

Budding speakers as young as 11 displayed their talents to an impressed audience and judges in the District 1200 Final of the Rotary Youth Speaks: A Debate Competition held at Taunton School on 1st February this year. Grateful thanks were given to the school for being able to use such an excellent venue.

This Competition is just one of eight nationwide competitions for young people ages 11 – 17 that are organised by Rotary in Great Britain and Ireland every year.

10 teams of three – a chair, proposer and opposer - provided an entertaining day of debate. The Sir John Colfox Academy of Bridport emerged victorious in the Senior category, after they made their case for ‘The UK cannot meet the annual population increase’, blowing the judges away. In the intermediate category, King’s College Taunton claimed the prize after winning their debate for ‘The teaching of cookery in schools should be compulsory’.

The competition aims to provide young people the experience of researching and speaking on a public platform as a member of a team about a topic or issue they care about, as well as the opportunity to gain experience and practice high standards of expression, presentation and appearance.

The schools competing as well as Sir John Colfox and King’s College included Hardenhuish School from Chippenham, West Somerset College in Minehead, St Dunstan’s School in Glastonbury, The Blue School from Wells and Courtfields School in Wellington.

This year’s organisers commented. “It’s so inspiring to see so many talented young speakers excelling in a competitive environment. It really is encouraging that competitions like this are still running successfully, proving Rotary can be a real force in improving the futures of young people. Young people are so passionate about the issues and topics they care about, and that shone through with their presentations.”

After winning the district heat, the winners in each of the two categories will now go on to the next stage – the Cluster Final, where they will face the winners from other schools from adjacent districts at Clifton College Preparatory School in Bristol on Sunday 16th March 2025.

Progressing from this effort, Westbury Council are planning on a similar event to be held in Heywood House, later on in 2025.

The event will be spearheaded by Ryan Childs the Events Organiser from Westbury Council, Rotary Club of Westbury and Fiona Boobbyer from Heywood House.