We extend our congratulations to the QAHS participants of the Year 10 - 12 A.B. Paterson Public Speaking Competition 2024. Each year, our students demonstrate their eloquence and confidence in this highly competitive event.
Standing before adjudicators, members of the public, and their peers, these individuals presented compelling speeches on topics from a specified list including, for example, “True Colours", “Introverts versus Extroverts", “Cancel Culture", and “Carpe Diem". We are vastly proud of the eight QAHS students who embraced the challenge and enthusiastically committed themselves to the process of crafting an 8-minute speech, mastering it, and delivering it with unwavering poise.
Our commendations go to Year 10 students Helena Francis, Shuma Goto, Kaleo Lin, Izabella Wilson and Alice Yao, as well as Year 11 students Arisa Furutani and Lakshmi Purushothaman, and Year 12 Sara Mohajer-Iravani. Their eloquence and confidence shone brightly during the preliminary rounds, with Helena and Izabella securing their spots in the grand final.
It is with pleasure that we announce the outstanding achievement of Izabella Wilson who emerged as the Third Place Winner in the Year 10 competition. Izabella's speech on the topic “We can't go on like this" resonated profoundly with the audience. Her powerful delivery, marked by conviction, flair and a touch of humour, ensured that her unique perspective on the topic left an indelible impression on the audience. Congratulations to Izabella for her exceptional performance and the well-deserved recognition she has received.
Furthermore, we extend our sincere gratitude to International Toastmaster, Mr Mark Hunter, whose guidance and support have been invaluable to our students in the Public Speaking @ QAHS programme this term. Mr Hunter's expertise has been instrumental in preparing our Year 10 and Year 11 students to acquire the skills necessary to excel in this competition and in all other public speaking opportunities that may arise.
We are pleased to share an excerpt from Izabella's prize-winning speech below:
Let's look at the world a young Australian faces, given all of these facts. You just graduated university, with an extortionately high HECS debt, that increased by 7.1% last year. You struggle to find a decent paying job due to the rising unemployment rates and your lack of experience. Buying your first home feels impossible, due to the never-ending rise of the housing market and your inability to get an adequate mortgage. But what's the point? All properties are being bought by the rich, just to be rented out. Meanwhile, supermarkets are raising their prices, recording their highest profits while you can't afford to eat. It becomes a daily decision; whether to buy dinner or to pay rent. If you're an Indigenous Australian, you're 17 times more likely to be imprisoned than a non-indigenous Australian. If you're a woman, you have a 1 in 3 chance of experiencing physical violence. Phone bill, electricity bill, rent, student loans; it all comes crashing down on you as you realise there is no way to achieve your dreams. Not if this continues. Instead of putting the blame on young people's spending or their poor work ethic, we must start addressing the actual root of this problem: government inaction.
Once again, congratulations to all our participants for their outstanding efforts and achievements. We look forward to witnessing more remarkable accomplishments from our students in the public speaking domain in the future.
Marnie Chetter
Teacher of English & Student Leadership Coordinator