Public Speaking at the Girls' College : A Celebration of Voice, Insight, and Confidence
At the recent Roots showcase, our Grade 8 public speakers took to the stage for the very first time, marking an exciting introduction to the world of formal speaking. Drawing inspiration from literature, the first group engaged with a quote from The Great Gatsby by F. Scott Fitzgerald, exploring the idea that valuable advice can serve as a form of armour, guiding and protecting individuals through life’s challenges. The second group turned to Thirteen Cents by K. Sello Duiker, using the character’s introduction to unpack the complex and deeply personal concept of identity. Despite being their debut performances, the speakers demonstrated confidence, creativity, and thoughtful engagement with their themes.
Our Grades 9 to 12 public speakers recently represented the school with distinction at the High School Public Speaking Festival, showcasing confidence, creativity, and thoughtful engagement with complex ideas drawn from literature.
The Grade 9s competed in two teams, each selecting a memorable literary line as the foundation for a collaborative speech. One team explored perspective through Leo Tolstoy’s opening line from Anna Karenina, presenting their ideas as a reflective argument between friends. The second team drew on Joseph Heller’s Catch‑22 with the line “It was love at first sight”, delivering a compelling reflection on the impact of a single moment. Both teams presented eloquent, well‑structured speeches, earning an A+ symbol and an A symbol respectively.
The Grade 10 teams delivered impressive performances. One team offered a powerful and insightful exploration of George Orwell’s striking opening from 1984, earning a well‑deserved A symbol. The second team presented a standout interpretation of J. P. Hartley’s reflection, “The past is a foreign country. They do things differently there”, skilfully balancing humour and poignancy to earn an exceptional A++ symbol.
The Grade 11 teams demonstrated strong critical engagement, with one team achieving a B+ symbol for their response to Hartley’s quotation and the other earning an A symbol for an imaginative interpretation of Ray Bradbury’s line, “It was a pleasure to burn”.
The Grade 12 speakers delivered a particularly moving and intricate response to Hartley’s quotation, receiving an A symbol and special mention from the adjudicator for their thought‑provoking analogies and engaging delivery.
What a celebration of student voice and intellectual curiosity! Congratulations to #OneAndAll for your commitment, insight, and confidence – your performances reflected genuine excellence in public speaking.
