Over the past two months, students at SSA have been hard at work preparing, practising and presenting their speeches for the our third public speaking competition, the Rising Voices Public Speaking Championship.

Last weekend saw the culmination of the Championship, with 24 participants vying for a trophy across four age divisions.

This year, the theme of the competition was ‘Empowerment’, where all speakers were asked to devise and deliver a speech on a topic that relates to this theme. Each age group had five topics they could choose from, ranging from ‘How can I be a leader’ for Stage #1 students to ‘Equal opportunity = equal respect’ for Stage #4 students.

Our three judges – Luisa, Cassidy and Rani – had a huge task determining only four champions across the four divisions. Despite having an incredibly tough time deciding between all the exceptional presentations – which took twice as long as we had scheduled, given the difficulty of the decision – they eventually emerged with four champions:

• Stage #1 – Ashlyn
• Stage #2 – Samouel
• Stage #3 – Mar
• Stage #4 – Rohan

We extend our heartfelt gratitude to all those who joined us in showing support for these remarkable young speakers.

Finally, a big congratulations to all the winners and finalists – we feel empowered by the remarkable skill, effort and charisma you showed throughout the competition!

 

 

 

What is the Rising Voices Championship?

The Rising Voices Public Speaking Championship is an exciting competition that encourages students to hone their speaking skills and share their ideas with others.

Building off previous iterations of the SSA Cup in 2022 and the Sydney Speaking Competition in 2021, this year’s theme was “Empowerment,” providing contestants with a chance to discover how their voices can make a positive impact on themselves and those around them.

The competition was divided into four divisions: Stage #1 (Years 1 & 2), Stage #2 (Years 3 & 4), Stage #3 (Years 5 & 6) and Stage #4 (Years 7 – 9), each with a different set of topics that they could choose from.

All participants were judged on three primary criteria: manner (body language, eye contact, vocal variety and overall delivery), matter (the content of their speech) and method (speech structure).

Stage #3 and Stage #4 students were also judged in an Impromptu Category, in which they were given 5 minutes to prepare a speech on the topics “Courage” and “Kindness” respectively.

While there can only be three champions in each division, every participant delivered remarkable speeches that truly stood out. Keep reading to discover the complete lists of finalists and winners from this year’s competition!

 

 

 

The Empowering Qualities of Public Speaking

Public speaking is an important skill that empowers students in a variety of ways.

Firstly, it helps students develop confidence and self-esteem. By speaking in front of an audience, students are forced to confront their fears and overcome them. This makes them more confident and self-assured in their day-to-day lives, empowering them to seek out positive changes they can make in the world.

Secondly, public speaking is a great way to improve critical and creative thinking skills. When students are given a topic to speak about, they are forced to research and think critically in order to develop a compelling argument. This not only improves their critical thinking abilities, but also their creativity. By presenting new and innovative ideas to an audience, students are empowered to think outside the box and come up with creative solutions to problems.

Finally, public speaking is an important tool for leadership development. Effective leaders are able to communicate their vision and inspire their teams. Public speaking provides an opportunity for students to develop these leadership skills by presenting their ideas to a group of people. By learning how to engage and persuade an audience, students are empowered to become future leaders in their communities and careers.

 

Finalists & Winners at Rising Voices 2023

 

Division #1 (Years 1 & 2)

 

 

Congratulations to the six finalists selected for the Stage #1 Division of the Rising Voices Championship 2023!

Ashlyn – First Place

William – Second Place

Ridhi – Third Place

Jasper – Special Award

Chloe – Finalist

Pia – Finalist

 

Division #2 (Years 3 & 4)

 

 

Our heartfelt congratulations to the six finalists chosen for the Stage #2 Division of the Rising Voices Championship 2023!

Samouel – First Place

William – Second Place

Hugo – Third Place

Brian – Special Award

Joanna – Finalist

Rocky – Finalist

A particular congratulations to Samouel, who was also the first-placed participant in the Stage #2 division of the SSA Cup in 2022!

 

Division #3 (Years 5 & 6)

 

 

We extend our warmest congratulations to the six extraordinary finalists selected for the Stage #3 Division of the Rising Voices Championship 2023!

Mar – First Place

Kiara – Second Place

Brian – Third Place

Lachlan – Special Award

Ishaq – Finalist

Sumin – Finalist

Special congratulations to Mar, who also achieved the first-place position in the Stage #3 division of the SSA Cup in 2022!

 

Division #4 (Years 7 – 9)

 

 

We extend our warmest congratulations to the six extraordinary finalists selected for the Stage #3 Division of the Rising Voices Championship 2023!

Rohan – First Place

Anna – Second Place

Layla – Third Place

Giorgia – Special Award

Dawsen – Finalist

Gurkiret – Finalist

 

 

Public speaking has the remarkable ability to empower students, fostering real change within ourselves and our communities.

While it demands hard work and dedication, the potential rewards, on a personal and professional level, are immense.

At Speaking Schools Australasia, we believe that every child should have access to public speaking education as part of their schooling so that they can be empowered to be confident communicators who can advocate for meaningful contributions within their communities.

Congratulations once again to our esteemed winners Ashlyn, Samouel, Mar, and Rohan. May this experience leave a lasting impression on all our finalists, instilling them with invaluable lessons and cherished memories!

We extend our heartfelt gratitude to all those who supported us throughout this event and look forward to more competitions to come – thank you for being a part of our journey!

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