Dannevirke young speechmaker Keisha Meek does community proud

The four excellent candidates from Dannevirke High School, from left, Astie Harris, Keisha Meek, Lydia Black and Eden Chapman-Peters.

Dannevirke High School student Keisha Meek has done her community proud, being placed runner-up in the Lions District Young Speechmakers’ Final.

Lions member Mike Harold says Keisha delivered a “high-quality, polished, prepared speech and impromptu speech” at the final, held at Makoura College in Masterton.

“It was a thrill to be there with Keisha’s mother Kate and Dannevirke High School teacher Chrissina Donald to support and congratulate Keisha on her achievement.

“Keisha can be very proud of her achievement against a high-quality field of contestants,” Mike says.

Keisha was one of four students from the high school vying for a place in the District 202M final at the club final of the Young Speech Maker contest at the Dannevirke Host Lions social meeting in May.

Each candidate had to present a six-minute speech on a topic of their choice, followed by an impromptu two-minute speech on a topic given to them individually.

The insight into what the teenagers thought about their world was found “extremely interesting” by Lions members and the support party of teachers and parents.

Runner-up Keisha Meek warning about the threats to teenagers from social media.

Judges from Norsewood Lions - Sandra Cordell, Sue Trotter and Robert Sutcliffe - chose Lydia Black, who pleaded for the abolition of homework, over Keisha, who spoke on the challenges teenagers face with social media.

Place-getters in the local Lions Young Speechmaker Contest were winner Lydia Black and runner-up Keisha Meek with Dannevirke Host Lions president Barbara Ferguson.

However, Lydia was too young to compete in the district final.

The other two candidates spoke on the value of reading, and saving the environment by returning to the old days.

Robert, speaking for the judges, commended the candidates for their excellently prepared speeches which were “well-structured and backed with research”.

He praised them for their courage in speaking before an audience and says it was “very rewarding to hear perspectives from the young people of today”.

Lions District 202M covers Gisborne, Hawke’s Bay, Tararua District, Wairarapa and Wellington. Winning the final qualifies the candidate to enter the National Final; the winner of that gains a six-week trip to North America.

Winner Hannah Sema, from St Mary's College, Wellington, and runner-up Keisha Meek, of Dannevirke High School, after the Lions International Young Speech Maker District Final.

The contest was divided into two groups and Keisha contested the southern–end group, which pitted her against the best from Wellington and Wairarapa.

The winner from last month’s event - Hannah Sema, from St Mary’s College, Wellington - will join the winner from the Hawke’s Bay/Poverty Bay event to represent District 202M at the National Final in Rangiora, Canterbury, in August.