High School winners at Lions’ Regional Speech Competition

Photo: Emelye and Arafia

Year 12 students from Whanganui High School, Emelye Brown and Arafia Khan, were winners at the recent Lions’ Regional Speech Competition, which covers Whanganui, Taranaki and Manawatu.

It was held at Wanganui Intermediate School and was supported by many Lions club memebers.

The first requirement was to give a prepared speech and follow that up with an impromptu one, having been given 1 minute to prepare and two minutes for the speech itself. Contestants were kept in separate rooms until it was their turn. The topic for the impromptu speech was ‘what is your favourite pet and why’ and as long as you defined the topic, you interpret it in any way you wanted.

For the prepared speech, Arafia spoke on ‘The Power of You’ and covered the power of difference, the power of acceptance and the power of YOUth. Emelye spoke on “The Loneliest Whale in the World‘ – about orca whales in captivity and something she is passionate about.

Arafia came third and received a thick diary and pen while Emelie came first receiving a glass trophy, and a trip to the Lions International Youth Camp later this year in Rotorua, worth $600. Representatives will be there from around the world. Emelye will also represent the region at the Lions National Speech competition in Christchurch in August.

Emelye is considering a career in law and Arafia in either business or medicine.