By Linda Galbraith
Tamborine Mountain Lions Club took up the challenge to organise a junior public speaking competition for primary school students.
All three local schools were invited to participate.
Eventually the competition proceeded on August 25 with Tamborine Mountain Independent Public School students participating enthusiastically.
Principal Jason Smith was very supportive – agreeing to host the event at the school.
The standard of speeches both prepared and impromptu was excellent and the judges had tough decisions to make.
The winner of the year 3/4 students was Heidi Frischherz whose answer to the prepared speech topic “If you could have a holiday anywhere in Australia, where would you go and why?” was K’gari.
The winner of the year 5/6 students was Hanna Baker who moved the judges and the audience with her topic “If you could have dinner with anyone in the world (a real person past or present) who would it be and why? And what would you eat?” chose her mother and her spring rolls and rice.
A wonderful tribute to her mum and cooking with her mum.
Hannah gave an equally moving impromptu speech in response to the question “How would you have fun without using technology?”
With ten minutes preparation time she said she would have fun playing with her pets, singing and dancing.
The members of Toastmasters, especially the Director of Area 24, Trish Scott, and fellow members Shauna and Julia provided great assistance as judges, Sergeant at Arms and timekeeper and training Lions Club members.
During the preparation time local identity Vanessa Bull was interviewed about her life on Tamborine Mountain which has been her home for 63 years, and Tamborine Mountain State School was where she went to school.
She has served the community for decades as an elected councillor and as the local snake catcher and has undertaken many years of volunteer work with the Lions Club.
She is currently president of the Tamborine Mountain Showgrounds Committee.
David Matthews the current president of the Tamborine Mountain Lions Club was also interviewed about his life on Tamborine Mountain and his involvement with Lions.
David grew up in Cronulla, one of Sydney’s southern beach suburbs and eventually swapped his surf board for a mountain bike and enjoys riding with mates and camping in the Australian bush.
The students and their parents were served a delicious afternoon tea provided by Lions members.
Public speaking is in the list of top ten things people are most afraid of, so to develop the skills of public speaking is to be encouraged especially in preparation for life such as employment interviews. All the participants are commended for their excellence.
They were all presented with certificates and a pen at the school assembly and the winners received vouchers to spend at local bookshop, Under the Greenwood Tree.
It is hoped that there will be more participants in the future and that the competition will expand across the district.
