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Rotary's four major Youth Public Speaking Competitions have agreed to hold a District-wide Championship in 2024. These competitions include:
- Wynspeak
- Bayspeak
- Ainger Peck
- Balwyn Rotary Club's four-way test competition.
More details to come...
- Student Nominations Due: 28 March 2025
- Round 1: Thur 1 May, Westbourne Grammar School, 300 Sayers Road, Truganina VIC 3029
- Round 2: Tue 6 May, Good News Lutheran College, 580 Tarneit Road, Tarneit
- Round 3: Thur 8 May, Tarneit Senior College 861 Leakes Road Tarneit (Entrance Crossway Ave)
- Round 4: Tue 13 May, Hoppers Crossing Secondary College, 2 Fraser Street, Hoppers Crossing
- Round 5: Thur 15 May, Bacchus Marsh Grammar, 37 S Maddingley Rd, Bacchus Marsh
- Round 6: Tue 20 May, Mackillop Catholic Regional College, Russell Street, Werribee
- Round 7: Thur 22 May, Lakeview Senior College- Caroline Springs, College Road, Caroline Springs
- Round 8: Tue 27 May, Altona Civic Centre, Civic Parade, Altona
- WYNSPEAK Final: Fri. 6 June, Thomas Carr College Performing Arts Centre, 35 Thomas Carr Drive, Tarneit
We are excited to have received a West Gate Neighbourhood Fund Grant for our Hobsons Bay 2025 Wynspeak Heat, that will support this Youth Public Speaking Competition for Secondary Schools in the Western Suburbs.
The West Gate Neighbourhood Fund is a Victorian Government initiative that is helping not-for-profit organisations in Melbourne's inner west to support their communities while the West Gate Tunnel Project is being built.
You can read more about the fund here: WGNF Information
Year 12 VCE Music Student, Samantha Dunn performing 4 songs at the Altona Theatre (Round 3) while the students participating in the Wynspeak Competition were being briefed in a preparation room.
From initiation in 2003, by the Rotary and Apex clubs of Hoppers Crossing, "Wynspeak" has expanded to involve over forty Western Region colleges annually.
"Wynspeak":
- Provides a vehicle to assist young people to develop effective public speaking skills and self-confidence. Presentation skills are important in senior college, tertiary education, and in the workplace.
- Involves both junior and senior students presenting prepared five-minute speeches on topics of their choice.
- Also includes presenting a two-minute speech on mystery topics drawn out of a hat with minimal preparation time.
- Has proven to be very popular with both students and colleges.
- Commences on April 27, 2023 with entry free to all attendees.
- Schedule and venues are listed above.
For enquiries, contact Des O'Shanassy via this website ("Contact Us" or email: desoshanassy@hotmail.com).
Schools have yoyo'd in and out of the classroom since the COVID19 pandemic struck. Most of the preliminary rounds were completed when Victoria's lockdown number six was announced. Remarkable agility was required to hold Round 8 and the finals on Zoom. A new set of preparations were key to its success.
- The Wynspeak Committee held several practice sessions to work out factors such as timekeeping and the logistics of breakout meetings, and how to introduce and spotlight speakers. Also, contingency planning was vital in case of disrupted internet connections.
- A student rehearsal was held two days before the final where Toastmaster Greg Bowlen provided student coaching on setting up and presenting to a camera, instead of a live audience.
- Breakout rooms were used for briefing students beforehand, and afterwards for the adjudicators to discuss scoring. The chief adjudicator's son, Paul Ryan, provided the "waiting music" and entertained on acoustic guitar.
- The Senior category winner, Alfi Huda from Lakeview Senior College, spoke passionately about arranged child marriages (her grandmother was engaged at only 8 months old). Junior category winner, Sam Brooker from Altona College, highlighted environmental problems with plastics. The linked videos above cover their speeches.
The Wynspeak Committee greatly appreciates the efforts by the students, their supporters, the audience, the adjudicators, MC Taylor Morris and Zoom host Sandi Fulcher. They addressed the many challenges and changes required to make the 2021 Wynspeak Final such a success on Zoom.