John Roan School plays host to the Digital Quarter Final of the world’s largest youth public speaking event.

On 30th March, students from across London and Essex came together in a Digital Final and competed to become a “Speak Out” Challenge! Digital Final Champion. A total of 6 of our own students made it through to compete in the regional finals.

The judging panel at the event included community influencers: Lilian Odim: CEO The Tas centre, Abdigani Mohamoud: CEO B Young Starz, Nayotia Newman: Engagement Manager, Youth social action, Sarah Wilson: Founder, Streetwise Law, Matt Morrow, Cabinet Member for Children and Young People, Borough of Greewich, Frederick Abboah - Offei , COO The TAS Centre.

This year over 20,000 Year 10 students (14-15 year olds) in over 500 state schools in London and Essex will take part in Jack Petchey’s “Speak Out” Challenge!. Each one of these students receives an all-day public speaking workshop from the UK’s leading public speaking and communication’s charity, Speakers Trust. The programme is funded and supported by the Jack Petchey Foundation. A speech contest is held at the end of the one-day course and each school selects a speaker to go through to a Quarter Final. 

During the training, students are given the skills and the confidence to develop and deliver a competition speech on a topic that is important to them. The aim of the training and competition is to amplify young voices.