Staats pupil scoops first place in public speaking competition

STAATS Primary School Grade 6 pupil Nontozonke Phillips recently secured first place in the national "On the Tip of Your Tongue" public speaking competition, where she competed against pupils from across the country.

Over 800 pupils were invited to showcase their public speaking skills at Rooihuiskraal Laerskool in Centurion from October 3 to 4.

Staats Primary School public speaking coach Duif Brand highlighted that Phillips was the only competitor from the Northern Cape to achieve a first place.

“Regional elimination rounds were conducted virtually in April via Zoom. The competition promotes online speaking abilities as many job interviews are conducted virtually following the Covid-19 pandemic,” said Brand.

She added that eight finalists from the school were selected to present their speeches in person in Pretoria.

“Phillips won first place in the Grade 6 English prepared speech in the persuasive category, while Grade 2 pupil Adam Meyers achieved third place in the English first language category,” said Brand.

She also noted that Khloe Partridge, an English first language pupil in Grade 6, achieved fourth place in the Afrikaans home language section.

Phillips said her speech was based on how “cartoons are the cure for everything” after her classmates had a discussion on how they were too old to watch animated movies.

“Laughter is the best medicine and I did research that found that cartoons are used by doctors in New York to cure chronic depression,” Phillips explained.

She said she was thrilled to be awarded first place after waiting anxiously on stage for the winners’ names to be called out.

“The competition was extremely fun, yet challenging, as it focuses on how you are able to use your voice to express yourself through variations in your tone. I was aiming for fourth place as I only started public speaking last year, where I managed to win all the competitions that I competed in.”

Phillips added that she was inspired to start public speaking when she joined Staats Primary School in Grade 4.

“I kept to myself and was extremely quiet when I first arrived at the school. The bug bit as I wanted to show my peers and friends that I am able to express myself easily through orals.”

Kimberley Girls’ High School Grade 9 pupil Beaunique Abrahams secured third place in the competition.