Far North youth shine at Te Hiku Manu Kōrero Speech Competition

Te Hiku Manu Kōrero - Far North Schools Speech Competition Year 8 English placegetters - Malikah Walton, 3rd; Liv Clement-Beaton and Lennox Dugmore, 1st equal; Kaycee Te Wake and Layla Thirkettle, 2nd equal.

The calibre of speeches from Far North youth at last week’s Te Hiku Manu Kōrero - Far North Schools Speech Competition was so high, judges had a hard time deciding the winners.

Organisers said there were an incredible two days of speeches at Te Ahu, in Kaitāia, last Thursday and Friday, and while the quality was superb from the 48 youngsters from 16 schools, winners needed to be determined - and some were so good they could not be separated, with a number of joint winners and placegetters.

Year 6 English winners - Molly Start, 1st; Mostyn Bridson, 2nd and Isabella Bowden, 3rd.

The year 5 - year 8 students from Pompallier Catholic School, Te Rangi Aniwaniwa, Pāmapūria School, Mangonui School, Ngataki School, Te Hapua School, Te Kura o Te Kao, Pukenui School, Kaingaroa School, Kaitaia Intermediate, Ahipara School, Te Kura Taumata o Panguru, Paparore School, Waihārara School, Oruati School and Kaitāia Primary School tested their oratory skills in English and Te Reo.

And at the end of each day the judges - Felicity Foy, Penetaui Kleskovic, Morgana Thomas, David Aydon, Ani Makiha, Hirikea Murray and Joanne Bentley - had the difficult decisions to make.

Year 8 Māori placegetters - Tammy Ratahi, 2nd and Jaden-James Pairama, 1st.

Te Hiku Manu Kōrero - Far North Schools Speech Competition, 2023 results and the subjects of their speeches:

Year 5 English:

1st Toby Mulholland - Pompallier Catholic School - “Real life superheroes”

2nd Harper Bower - Pukenui School - “Stop Climate Change”

3rd equal: Esme Lambert - Paparore School -”Lions near extinction” & Stevie Quilter-Larson - Ahipara School - “Why the world would be better without humans”

The Year 5 English top three - Esme Lambert, 3rd, Toby Mulholland, 1st and Harper Bower, 2nd.

Year 5 Māori:

1st Raukura Kani - Te Kura o Te Kao - “Taiki te taiao”

2nd Naius Tioriori - Te Kura Taumata o Panguru - “Tōku ao, tōku whānau”

Year 6 English:

1st Molly Start - Oruaiti School - “Kauri Dieback”

2nd Mostyn Bridson - Mangōnui School - “Climate Change”

3rd Isabella Bowden - Pompallier Catholic School - “If I was Prime Minister for a day”

Year 6 Māori:

1st Viani Stokes - Te Rangi Aniwaniwa - “Matariki”

2nd Jayvon Wiki-Peters - Te Kura o Te Kao - “Tōku kura moemoea...”

Year 7 English:

1st Oliver Bayer - Pompallier Catholic School - “The Benefits of going to church”

2nd Mikaere Ropiha - Te Kura o Te Kao - “If I won a million dollars”

3rd equal: Eelia Lafotanoa - Oruaiti School - “Kids these days” and Mitchell McLean - Kaingaroa School - “Hummingbirds”

Year 7 Māori:

1st equal: Kahutai Matchitt-Kahui - Te Kura o Te Kao - “Mehemea ko ahau te Pirīmia o Aoteroa...” and Haylo Bellass - Te Rangi Aniwaniwa - “Me hoki tātou te noho ki ngā papakāinga”

Year 8 English:

1st equal: Liv Clement-Beaton - Kaitaia Intermediate School - “Defining Success” and Lennox Dugmore - Pukenui School - “The rise of AI”

2nd equal: Kaycee Te Wake - Te Kura Taumata o Panguru - “21st Century” and Layla Thirkettle - Ahipara School - “Horse racing should be banned”

3rd Malikah Walton - Oruaiti School - “Spanish Flu”

Year 8 Māori:

1st Jaden-James Pairama - Te Kura o Te Kao - “Ko ngā ragatahi ngā rangatira mō āpōpō”

2nd Tammy Ratahi - Te Kura Taumata o Panguru - “Ma wai e tiaki o matou nei marae o matou nei Urupa”

Jaden-James Pairama, from Te Kura o Te Kao, won the Faye Irwin-Erceg Cup at the Te Hiku Manu Kōrero - Far North Schools Speech Competition for his speech "Ko ngā ragatahi ngā rangatira mō āpōpō", which earned the highest Year 8 score.

Faye Irwin-Erceg Cup:

Jaden-James Pairama - Te Kura o Te Kao - “Ko ngā ragatahi ngā rangatira mō āpōpō” (Highest Year 8 score).