SEVEN primary school students, the best public speakers from their schools, entertained and informed a small but appreciative audience on Tuesday night.
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The occasion was the Goulburn Rostrum primary schools public speaking competition held at North Goulburn Public School.
Renae Robinson from Wollondily Public School was this year’s winner, with Ashleigh Cockburn from Goulburn West placed second.
Each of the competitors presented a three minute speech on one of the six set topics.
They spoke to an audience comprising parents, teachers, other family members as well as rostrum members and a three person judging panel.
This year there were no boys amongst the contestants.
Also representing their schools were Tara Edworthy from Windellama, Ainslee Brassel from Bradfordville, Ellanor Clark from St Peter and Paul’s Catholic Primary, Ambrosia Moore from Goulburn South and Hannah Greaves from Goulburn North Primary School.
The topics the students could have spoken on included: ‘I believe in aliens’; ‘When I become prime minister’; ‘If animals could talk’; ‘Australia is the best place to live’; ‘Grownups are not always right’ and ‘If junk food was good for you’.
The judges, Nerida Cullen, Robert Walker and Toni Kennedy were most impressed with the standard of all the speakers.
Two of the girls chose the topic ‘I believe in aliens’, two chose ‘If animals could talk’ and two chose ‘Australia is the best place to live’. Only Renae Robinson was brave enough to tackle the topic ‘Grownups are not always right’.
She presented a well-structured, humorous speech, which looked at the statement from several different angles.
Mrs Cullen, who summed up for the judges, told the audience that topic choice was always important when speaking.
“It is important to be able to speak from the heart, and if you are doing so this will add to your confidence,” Mrs Cullen said.
“Another important thing that just one competitor forgot was to address the audience in their opening. “This helps the speaker to get the audience’s attention.”
She said that there was some stunning and confident use of vocabulary in the speeches and the teachers, parents and the students themselves should all be commended for their efforts.
