Public speaking. Curro Aurora competed in a public speaking event with the South African Speech and Drama College. The events of the different grades were hosted by various Johannesburg schools, where the learners averaged no lower than a B. Some teams had an A+. All the speakers in the team received some amazing results; our first timers and veteran public speakers.
On Thursday the 16th of February, the grade 10 impromptu team attended Kingsmead College. There Oratile Khoza, Galaletsang Phalatse, Isabella Plange and Daniela Gordon delivered their speeches. The received an A for their tremendous effort! Impromptu public speakers are given 30 minutes to prepare and speak for 10 minutes, as a team. This is an incredible skill to perfect and they are commended for their efforts!
Then, on Monday the 20th of February the individual best speaker, Hilton Botha, was thrown into the thick of it. Hilton Botha is a Curro Aurora Matric student. He delivered his prepared speech entitled “An eye for an eye.” Then an impromptu stimulated by Shakespeare’s quote, “Some are born great, some achieve greatness and some have greatness thrust upon them” at Heron Bridge College. Hilton received an A+ for his outstanding performance and took home the gold for Curro Aurora.
Grade 11
The Curro Aurora amazing grade 11 prepared team visited St David’s Marist Inanda on the 1st of March where Azinza Mvinjelwa, Tshiamo Maleka, Owami Makhaye and Zinathi Manyathi achieved a B+ for their speeches on transformation.
The Impromptu grade 11 team then followed them up on the 2nd of March. The team where Paul Harber, Keara Naicker, Leseli Mufame and Michael Arlington. They went to Northcliff Highschool and achieved an A+ for yet another fantastic set of unprepared speeches. The students did a fantastic job thinking on their feet, grappling with mature and complicated topics.
On Tuesday the 7th of March, the trophy team even was hosted at Charter College International. Typically, the trophy team consists of a composition of grade 12 learners, however, this year the team consisted of three incredibly courageous grade 11s who faced tough competition and even tougher odds. With all this being said, Tinyiko Marivate, Matthew wentworth and Shreya Jungbahadur brought home a B+ as they delivered a team speech entitled, “Perfection is constant transformation.” This topic, perfectly enough, speaks to the quality of their speeches as well as their skill as speakers as they go into matric next year. Good to know our next year matric team has it in the bag.
Grade 8
The grade 8s made an awesome impact at St Stithians for their first, ever, high school public speaking event. On the 9th of March, the grade 8s delivered their speeches to the topic of “Cause and effect”. The students tackled some very mature topics including: climate change, the theory of kindness, and cause and effect in history and the future. Both teams were prepared and consisted of Olivia Welthagen, Samuel Kuzmanich, Imaan Khan and Seinelo Segwai. As well as, Leanne Mogoru, Onthatile Mojatau, Mallika Bhana and Ronewa Ramulondi. Both grade 8 prepared teams received a B+ for their efforts. The school is excited to see what they do for them again next year.
Grade 10
Finally, on the 15th of March, the grade 10s prepared team competed at Hoërskool Randburg. After a month of preparation and hard work, Emma Brinckmann, Arabella Pillay, Suvali Singh and Bongeka Mkhalipi earned themselves an A on the topic of “Transformation”. The grade 10s delivered some incredible insights and profound statements about life that amazed and shocked their adjudicator and crowd.
The English Department would like to thank all the parents and guardians for joining us at these events, supporting their children with such zeal. In addition, thanks must be given to the English teachers; Mr Ryan, Mr Kersha, Mrs Dlamini and Miss Watson, for the hours of training and support. The depth and wealth of the experience for the learners is priceless and Curro thank everyone for being brave enough to speak. To conclude, in the words of Fred Miller, “The worst speech you will ever give, will be far better than the one you never give.”
– Written by Mr Keagan Ryan and Ms Ashleigh Watson
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