The 36th Annual Youth Award Public Speaking Competition was held on Saturday 3 February at 12 Noon in the Hillsborough Village Centre. The Adjudicators were:-
- Ms Shelley Lowry, British and International Federation of Festivals Speech and Drama Adjudicator
- Mr David Blevins, Ireland Correspondent, Sky News
- Mrs Ann Garvie, Past International President Soroptimist International
Congratulations to the 12 competitors who participated in the event. The winners are as follows:-
1st Prize: Mekha Saji, Thornhill College, Londonderry and representing SI Londonderry. Mekha’s topic was “Is it right to criminalise another’s culture?”
2nd Prize: Cate Bateson, St Mary’s Grammar School, Magherafelt and representing SI Ballymoney. Cate’s topic was “Every generation has had it problems, what’s in store for mine?”
3rd Prize: Rebecca Dobbin Donaghy, St Patrick’s College, Dungannon and representing SI Dungannon. Rebecca’s topic was “Every generation has had it problems, what’s in store for mine?”
Topics for the competition included the following:-
1. Is it right to criminalise another’s culture?
2. Every generation has had its problems – what’s in store for me?
3. Ill health begins in the mind.
4. “Use it up, wear it out, make it do or do without” New England Proverb
5. Immigration – How open should our doors be?
6. What does Brexit mean for young people?
These six topics have been chosen to represent the areas in which Soroptimist International is involved: Violence and Conflict Resolution; Learning Opportunities; Health and Food Security; Environment Sustainability; Economic Empowerment and Democracy.
Local Club heats were held in November.