Students’ confidence roars at public speaking competition

By Kayla Jones

Jun 28, 2024

Marchello Mustica snagged first place in the Year 3/4 category with an impressive performance.

The 2024 Cobram Lions Junior Public Speaking Competition was fierce, with all students delivering high-quality speeches that created a difficult decision for the judges.

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The competition, which was held on June 14, had primary school students from Cobram lining up to deliver their carefully crafted speeches, keen to demonstrate their public speaking prowess.

The students were given a set topic by the Lions Club, which involved an interview, imaginary or real, followed by a presentation to the judges and crowd.

The theme for the big kids in Year 5 and 6 was ‘Who is the most influential person in your life?’

Students interviewed the person most influential to them, and then told the audience about them: who they are, what they do, and why and how they influence them.

The Year 3/4 students had the chance to use their imaginations, thinking about what they would ask their favourite fairy tale or book character.

Coen Pang won first place in the Year 5/6 category with his spectacular speech.

Cobram Lions president Janet Austin said the students’ talents made it difficult for the judges when it came time to decide a winner.

“All the students were amazing, every one was outstanding,” she said.

“The judges had a hard decision to make in both levels. It was a very close competition.

“The kids are brilliant. When they get up there, they’re oozing with confidence.

“If they are nervous, once they get up there, they don’t show it. Unlike us adults, who sometimes get unsure.”

Mrs Austin said she looked forward to seeing the kids again in a few years, to see how much they had grown, not only in height, but also in confidence.

Charlie Berry gave it his all, and won runner-up for the Year 3/4 category.

“When the kids come back to us for Youth of the Year, or we see them years later, we really see the growth and confidence,” she said.

The four students who will proceed to represent Cobram in the regional finals are Marchello Mustica, winner of the Year 3/4 category; Coen Pang, winner of the Year 5/6 category; and Charlie Berry and Madeline Skoknic who were runners-up for Year 3/4 and Year 5/6 respectively.