Speaking in Public Competition – Bilston Academy – 2014
For the second year running Bilston Club organised and sponsored a competition for young girls at Bilston Academy, Wolverhampton. Earlier in the year the participants were given the topic of Modern Day Slavery to research carefully. The group met on 21st October for a training day led by President Lynne and member Barbara Emanuel. The sessions included strategies for planning a presentation, activities to help confidence and an opportunity to share with the trainers some of their findings on Modern Day Slavery.
The girls had a few weeks to develop their talk and create their own visual aids. On 27th November the presentation day arrived and parents, friends and Soroptimists gathered in the lecture theatre at the Bilston Academy. Three Bilston members formed the judging panel. Each student had researched the topic thoroughly and they all gave interesting presentations. Without exception the girls spoke with passion and feeling.
At the end of the morning the panel had a very difficult task deciding on the winner and runners up, but five girls received vouchers as a prize. The whole event provided an opportunity, in a small way, for Bilston Soroptimists to help develop the girls’ skills and confidence by education, and empowerment. In the process the girls learned more about the important topic of Modern Day Slavery.