On Thursday, 30th October, Oliver Bromley and Charlotte Cornett represented Magdalene Catholic College at the Year 11 MISA Public Speaking Competition where they presented both a prepared and an impromptu speech. 

Both students represented our school with pride and performed remarkably well, and the judges commended them on their presentation, speaking skills, and choice of topics. Oliver spoke about the importance of speaking up about mental health and seeking help when we are in need of support from others. Charlotte presented her speech on the pressures to achieve and the coping strategies we can employ to try our best. Oliver and Charlotte used a variety of engaging rhetorical devices and speaking skills to make their speeches captivating and thought provoking for their audience.

Congratulations to both Oliver and Charlotte for showing courage and pushing themselves to achieve their personal best! 

Hear from Oliver and Charlotte about their experience:

Public speaking is something I never thought I’d do competitively, but for the MISA Public Speaking Competition we were asked to write a 5-6 speech about a significant issue, and I decided to give it a go. It was extremely nerve-wracking to enter a room of highly talented 17-year-olds, but learning about a range of human experiences through listening to other people’s speeches, and gaining the confidence to speak in front of a room of people who were basically strangers, were memorable and inspiring aspects of a slightly stressful but overall incredible opportunity. Miss Wang was an incredible mentor throughout the preparation process, and her guidance and support made this an incredible experience. - Charlotte Cornett 

The competition was definitely challenging, impromptu speaking definitely isn’t easy, but we both persevered. It was really fun to visit St Francis and make friends with students from other schools in the local area. With big thanks to Miss Wang's guidance, we were able to put together a decent script, ultimately, making it a very worthwhile learning experience as speaking skills are essential for life. - Oliver Bromley