EMSB Public Speaking Contest set for April 8

The English Montreal School Board  annual board-wide Public Speaking Competition for secondary students took place on April 8  at Royal Vale School  in NDG.

Public speaking has a long and distinguished history that traces its origin to the Rotary Club competition of 1939. Secondary I students  shared narrative based speeches based on personal experiences. This is in keeping with both the Secondary English Language Arts (SELA) program and the EMSB tradition of storytelling. 

This year, the Secondary II students from select schools   presented narratives with a 21^st century twist.  Secondary III to V students  presented persuasive speeches on topics of social and political importance. The Rotary Club offered the winner of Secondary V,  Linnea Sander  from FACE School,  the opportunity to compete in their annual public speaking event.  Her topic was the Importance of Space Exploration. The EMSB Fund   offered a prize for the Secondary IV winner, Siena Blier ,  from LaurenHill Academy in St. Laurent, (Mental Health & The Importance of Discussing The Topic) while the Women’s Canadian Club   awarded the Secondary III winner, Cameron O'Hare  from Royal West  Academy (The Wearing of Religious Symbols),  with an all-expenses paid week to Encounters with Canada in Ottawa.

Here are the winners by grade:

Secondary I

1. Jaden Davidovit " A Witness to History" - Royal Vale
2. Ashazia Dussault "Ice Fishing" - John Paul I
3. Sevana Migdesyan "Homeless"- Laurenhill Jr.

Secondary II

1. Noah Doudeau "The Exam" - Westmount High School
2. Emilia Biddulph "A Smash from the Past" -Lester B Pearson High School
3. Penelope Johansen - The Intruder in my School - FACE

Secondary III

1. Cameron O'Hare "Why Public Servants Should be Free to Wear Religious Symbols - Royal West Academy
2. Sabrina Morelli "To Modify or Not to Modify"- Laurenhill Academy
3. Michael Turner "Grime Under the Nose of Society" - Marymount Academy

Secondary IV

1. Siena Blier "Mental Heath" - Laurenhill Academy

2. Shea Turner-Matthews "Striking for Our Future" - FACE
3. Holly Patricio "We Should Live in the Moment" - Westmount High School

Secondary V

1. Linnea Sander "The Case for Space" - FACE
2. Oliver Yun "Advocating for Autonomous Automobiles" - Marymount Academy
3. Miranda Gallay "Error 21: Religion Not Found" - John F. Kennedy High School