Cr Column Councillor Amanda Hall

Is it just me, or as we get older, do the days seem to meld into one? Time passes too quickly and sometimes I think we all need to slow down and take stock of what really matters to us. There is a Whitney Huston song called “The Greatest Love of All” and part of the lyrics are:  … “I believe the children are our future, teach them well and let them lead the way. Show them all the beauty they possess inside. Give them a sense of pride to make it easier. Let the children's laughter remind us how we used to be.”
On Tuesday night, Councillor Fina Vasta and I had the privilege and honour of attending Ayr State High School’s “Voices of the Future” where students delivered an 6-8 minute speech on a particular topic. It is not an easy task to speak in public and these young people did so with both confidence and verve. They spoke on topics that were informative and interesting, at times making those in attendance question themselves. At least that’s how I felt.
To think that this form of public speaking competition was very nearly lost due to Covid. In 2021, in lieu of cancelled Rostrum Voice of Youth statewide events and thanks to an incredibly determined English teacher, Mrs Linda Attard, Ayr State High School hosted their own public speaking competition. It is a testament to the teachers at Ayr State High School through their dedication and care for their students that this event continues today. Congratulations to all students and teachers involved. Overall winners were:
Junior Runner Up:  Parker
Junior Winner:  Chloe
 
Senior Runner Up:  Mahala
Senior Winner:  Sophie
 
Special Awards:
Public Speaking Achievement Award:  Layla
Stan Simpson Encouragement Award: Lee
 
To those students who competed and to all our young people, I say ”Stand tall, stand proud.  Know who you are, know your worth and you will achieve great things”.  Until next time.

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