Youth Speaks Regional Final @ Catrin Finch Centre Glyndwr University

Youth Speaks is a Rotary public speaking competition for secondary school students to allow them to challenge their abilities to perform, persuade and entertain an audience with a display of wit and knowledge of a topic of their own choice.  Each year the Rotary Club of Oswestry holds an autumn competition to start the search for teams at both Intermediate and Senior levels with the winning teams progressing to competitions at Rotary District, Regional and then possibly National Finals.

Well supported this year by their local schools, the Club competition winners were a senior team from The Marches and an Intermediate team from Moreton Hall.

Although both teams went on to acquit themselves well in the District Round in early March the Senior team from The Marches of Jenny Cyffin-Jones, Christopher Walker and Twila Morris were eliminated despite Jenny winning the Best Speaker of the round.

The Moreton Hall Intermediate team of Charlotte Pryce, Grace Naylor and Eloise Bowyer however won their section speaking on 'Sexism Has Not Been Solved Just Changed'. "I talked about LGBTQ rights and women’s rights tracking the development here in the UK from the Suffragettes to the ubiquitous #MeToo Movement." said their speaker Eloise.

Presenting that same topic at the Regional Final at the Catrin Finch Centre in Wrexham University again last weekend, competition was fierce with the Moreton Hall team coming "a very, very close second" to an excellent Tytherington High School team who will now go on to the National Final in Nottingham.

"The competition has come to an end for this year but what an excellent standard of public speaking we have seen from these young people on their journey." said Sue Leonard a member of Oswestry Rotary Club.  "Congratulations to the Moreton Hall team and many thanks to all the supporters who travelled to encourage them."

Rotary Youth Speaks

Regional Finals

Saturday 23rd March 2019 at Catrin Finch Centre, Glyndwr University, Wrexham

Information for participants.

11.00 am for 11.30 start, until  2.30 pm

1.    Directions:
The Catrin Finch Centre is a studio/theatre complex behind the Main Building of Glyndwr University, Wrexham.  The address is Plas Coch, Mold Road, Wrexham LL11 2AW.
The easiest approach is via the Chester –Wrexham-Oswestry road, the A483.  From the north, follow M56 to the A55 (Chester southerly by-pass), and A483 (Wrexham).
From the south, the A5 ‘becomes’ the A483.
Leave at Junction 5, towards Wrexham Town Centre.   At the next roundabout (100 metres) take first left, beside Argos store, then 3rd exit of the smaller roundabout into the University campus. Proceed over the speed humps, and the Centre is signposted left (alongside artificial pitches) There is car parking beside and behind the Centre.
NB Do NOT enter the University ‘Main Gate’ –there is no access to Catrin Finch Centre
2.    On arrival, teams should register at the ‘Welcome Desk’ by the door.  There is a large seating area where teams and supporters may congregate.
It is permissible for each team to enter the auditorium, in order to assess the acoustics and layout of the room.
One auditorium has tiered seating, the other, theatre style on a single level. Teams should prepare for either –the decision will be taken just before the start, subject to likely audience numbers.
3.    Refreshments (buffet) will be provided only for each team of three students, the accompanying teacher, plus the designated Rotarian from the sponsoring Club; and judges, adjudicators and officials. Other audience members will be invited to share the buffet AFTER the above have eaten.
4.    Tea and coffee will be available, free, for the audience. Members of the audience are advised to provide their own food.
5.    NB The Intermediate and the Senior competitions will be run simultaneously. Audience members who wish to experience (parts of) both competitions may move between rooms ONLY in the interval between teams speaking.
6.    As far as possible, both rooms will be made aware of the ‘running order’ of the other room.
7.    As soon as all teams have registered, the Chairperson of each team will be called by the MC and the draw for order of speaking made, before the start time. This ensures fairness and equality for all teams.
8.    The team drawn to speak first will need to be ready, having only a few minutes to settle themselves.
9.    Each team will be invited forward by the MC to take its place, and the Timekeepers start timing as the Chairman opens proceedings.  
10.    After each team, the MC will confirm that the judges are ready, and then proceed to the next team. It is intended that the presentations will conclude at approximately 1pm
11.    At 1.45 pm, the audience will reassemble (in each auditorium) and the Judges invited to give their adjudication. The winners will be announced (1 team to go forward to the National Final), and the event should close by 2.30 pm. In order to give a full and useful adjudication, the two competitions will remain separate. The adjudication will be given to the teams and audience in which they have taken part. Schools with a team in both sections, and guided by one teacher may wish to take this into account since the adjudications will certainly be simultaneous.
12.    Schools requiring Health and Safety Risk Assessments may be assured that Glyndwr University has an approved document, and that District 1180 conforms in all its procedures to that document. Neither District 1180 nor Glyndwr University accept any responsibility for the supervision of children.
13.    By completing the original Entry Form, schools and Clubs confirm that they understand the rules of the competition, that the judges’ decision is final, and that they will conform to the Rules.
14.    Attention is drawn to the responsibility of schools and sponsoring clubs to ensure that age deadlines are adhered to, and that except for medical emergency, the team, and topic, selected to represent the District will be unchanged for the next round. This is because the Judges’ decision is based (often narrowly) on what has been heard, and changes would discriminate unfairly against other teams.
15.    At the conclusion of proceedings, the team in each competition must complete the entry forms to be forwarded to the National organiser.

On the day, the telephone number will be 07767 387 912

    On behalf of the Regional Organising Team,
    Mark J. Philpot