Students from schools across Orange, Cabonne, Bathurst, Cowra, Blayney and Oberon waxed lyrical at a public speaking competition on Tuesday.
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About 260 students from 42 primary schools and 14 secondary schools, stepped in front of the judges at the annual Country Women’s Association (CWA) Central Western Group’s Schools Public Speaking Competition at Kinross Wolaroi School.
First prize winners were, Grayson Jacobsen from Scots School, Bathurst in year 3, Demelza Lee from Molong Central School for year 4, Elianna Wentworth from Mullion Creek Public School for year 5 and Lucie Cummins from St Mary's Catholic Primary School in year 6.
The year 7 and 8 winner was Simi Atluri from Scots School, Bathurst, the year 9 and 10 winner was Jessica Kennedy from Bathurst High School and Jemma Pockoney from Cowra High School won the year 11 and 12 section.
CWA Central Western public speaking committee chairwoman Phyllis Wheeler said this was the 30th year the public speaking competition has been run in the region.
“The CWA Central Western Group, which has 15 branches in this area, is one of the few CWA groups that still offers a public speaking competition,” Mrs Wheeler said.
“The history of the CWA has always been to focus on opportunities for women and their families and children and their future are at the heart of that.”
Mrs Wheeler said the public speaking competition gave children an opportunity to boost their confidence and public speaking skills.
She said schools could also compete against much larger schools without disadvantage.
Each year group had three different topics students could choose from.
Year 3 could choose from the magic hat, my favourite shoes or, if I were a …, one of the year 7 and 8 topics was advice is a mixed blessing and year 9 and 10 could discuss, the voice of reason has laryngitis.
The public speaking competition is also being held in the CWA’s Oxley and Far Western groups involving about 350 children throughout western NSW, with a combined competition taking place at Trundle on June 20.