St John's College head boy scoops first place at speech competition

From left: Kamaia Moore, Imogen Hosford, Lena Ormsby, Noah Kaio, Zoe Foster, Issy Dunnett-Welch, Lottie Tattersall and Georgie Rust all competed in the Lions Club speech competition. Photo / Supplied

Young speechmakers from Hastings and Napier schools gave a "very professional" showing at the Lions Club speech competition.

Initially, a group of 10 students entered, however only eight showed up on that night.

The students each presented a five- to six-minute speech on their chosen topic and then an impromptu speech on a topic given to them minutes before they had to perform it.

All three competition judges commented on each speech's "very high standard" and that "all students were very professional".

Speechmaker competition runner-up Karamu High School Year 12 student Lena Ormsby, left, and winner St John's College head boy Noah Kaio. Photo / Supplied

The speechmakers' overall winner was St John's College head boy Noah Kaio.

Noah prepared and spoke on how important finding out about your heritage was and working together as one to understand your culture and be proud of it.

Lions Club zone chairwoman Fay Nugent said all students had to perform a two-minute impromptu speech on the topic of "When I grow up".

When asked why Noah stood out from other contestants, Nugent said he appeared very relaxed when delivering his speech but very passionate about his topic.

The head boy was "well-articulated, informative and inspiring", the chair said.

Karamu High School Year 12 student and Hastings youth councillor Lena Ormsby came second.

Lena's prepared speech was about being judged on your skin colour, which does not define who you are.

The topic came from a personal place and covered how this judgment can start at school by not being allowed to take part in kapa haka and similar events because of this.

Nugent said Lena gave a "very passionate speech".

From left: Lena Ormsby, Issy Dunnett-Welch, Kamaia Moore, Imogen Hosford and Noah Kaio have qualified for the regional speech competition. Photo / Supplied

Qualifying alongside Noah and Lena for the district speech competition are Iona College students Imogen Hosford and Kamaia Moore, who placed third and fourth, and taking the fifth spot is Napier Girls' student Issy Dunnett-Welch.

Regional finals will take place in Masterton on Saturday, June 18.

The winners of that event will go through to the national competition in Palmerston North on August 13 this year.