District 201V6 Junior Public Speaking Program

Speaking in front of people has long been recognised as one of the foremost fears that people have to overcome in life – whether in the classroom or playground, and as we get older an interview, work or social situation, our ability to confidently communicate is vital. How much easier these skills are to learn early on in life. A clear & confident voice when speaking is an essential life skill that fosters self-esteem and confidence.

The ability to project one’s voice is a skill that everyone needs to learn in order to be heard when speaking. This is a skill that comes naturally with practice, encouragement and opportunity. Young students have an abundance of enthusiasm and this is the best time to develop these skills. No matter how much someone knows about a topic, and how passionate they are about that topic – they also need to be able to convey this passion and enthusiasm through speech.

And Lions can give them that opportunity....

A little about the public speaking program...

This program is for primary school students in year 3 to 6 and has been running successfully since 2007 in the 201V6 District, originating as an idea from the Barham-Koondrook club. The first few years it was just a few clubs participating, but the enthusiasm from teachers grew and more clubs across our District took it on. In 2016 it became a Multiple District project, opening it up to all clubs across Australia. Each year, more and more Schools, Clubs and Districts are becoming involved, we even have parents wanting to get their kids and schools involved.

This program aims to encourage students to participate in public speaking, help build their confidence and allow them the opportunity to hone their natural skills, in front of a variety of audiences, with the freedom to present their speech, unaided and uninhibited, allowing the audience to see their unique, charismatic personalities.

It allows students to use their imagination, as well as expanding their research skills and knowledge on the topics that are chosen each year.

It increases the student’s ability and opportunity to communicate to a wider audience – which includes their family, friends, teachers and Lions members.

Students really enjoy the program and reap the benefits for years to come. Teachers are enjoying the program and making it part of their class curriculum as it incorporates story writing, research, speaking in front of the class, etc.

We have seen quiet, shy students, too timid to speak...stand up and deliver a speech that has simply blown judges away and they have gone on to win the Competition. It’s amazing what this program can do for the kids that participate - not to mention the benefits that Club members receive as well.

Get involved with the YOUTH in your community…YOU’LL reap the benefits as much as they will!

What is the aim of this program?

To give students in Primary Schools the chance to develop their ability to speak in public, in a safe and nurturing environment. This competition is run for primary students in Grades 3, 4, 5 & 6.

Why should Lions Clubs & Schools be involved?

Similar programs often do not exist in our Primary Schools or are often difficult for them to access, particularly in remote and rural areas.
Young students have an abundance of enthusiasm and self-confidence. This program aims to build on this before they reach teenage years.
Public speaking not only boosts a student's self-confidence but also helps them become better leaders and communicators. It also empowers them to successfully give a presentation in class, at work, or in other professional settings.
This program helps to create a wonderful, long-lasting relationship between Lions and the schools in their community.

Junior Public Speaking Journey – Emma Moore

Emma Moore is in Grade 4 at St Joseph’s Primary School in Benalla and participated in the Junior Public Speaking competition with her school in 2024. The topic of her speech was her favourite Fairytale Character, and she spoke about Puss in Boots.

She went on to represent her school at the Club Level Finals and progressed as the Club Representative to the Reginal Finals.

Emma was Runner Up at the 2024 V6 District Final in Tocumwal.

This is Emma's story….

What did you enjoy most about writing the speech?

I enjoyed that I was able to write about something I was really interested in and that it was something that I could describe in many different ways.

What was your favourite part of presenting the speech?

My favourite part about the Lion’s Club speech was getting to make everyone happy when I read my speech and getting to do what I love doing.

How have you grown in your experience with the Lion’s Club speeches?

I think that I have learned more since my Grade 3 speech (which I didn’t go so well in) and I have built up my confidence loads. This year I got through four extra rounds; my school, Benalla, regionals and I came runner up in the district finals in Tocumwal. It was nice to visit all the local towns and make some new friends along the way.

This is Sally's story….

Sally is Emma's mum.

This really is a unique opportunity for children to grow in their confidence and understanding of how to present to an audience. I remember participating in this competition when I was young, and I know that this is the reason I have the confidence to get up in front of an audience today.

This is Benalla P-12 College's story….

Benalla P-12 College is Emma's school.

Classroom teachers view this event as an opportunity for our students to interact with the wider community, represent themselves and their school and practice their writing and presenting skills in a real-life context.

The students enjoy working alongside their peers in the lead up to the event to brainstorm, plan, write, revise, edit and practice delivering their speeches in front of each other. They practice giving and receiving feedback, which prepares them for the actual day of competition. For our emerging student leaders, it is an

invaluable opportunity to practice the public speaking skills, which are an integral part of running our Campus assemblies and other school-based events at the Year 3/4 level and beyond.

This year she learnt the value of hard work and that her words can make a difference in people’s lives. She also learnt how to lose gracefully and to be proud of her own achievements. We believe that these experiences are setting her up for a lifetime of success in whatever she chooses to pursue.

We look forward to Emma having this opportunity again in Grade 5 and 6.

How does the program work?

There are two parts to the program - the main part being the Prepared Speeches. This is for all students. The second part of the program is a Short Preparation Speech and is for years 5 & 6 students ONLY.

Prepared Speeches

Students are given a topic for their prepared speech, chosen by Lions, and this topic remains the same throughout the competition. Their speech needs to be based on facts, but is open to their own imagination.
Years 3 & 4 students are asked to prepare a 3-minute speech. Years 5 & 6 students are asked to prepare a 4-minute speech.
Students would then present these speeches at a school level competition, run in conjunction with the Lions Club.

The winners of these school competitions would then present their speech to the Lions Club members, family, friends, etc at at Club event where a club representative is chosen.

The club representative, then goes to the Region Final to compete against other students in the Region, where a region representative is chosen.

These regional representatives then present their speeches at the District Final, where an overall district winner is chosen.

In 2023 - we are planning to run a State Final in September.

Short Preparation Speech

For students in year 5-6 only. At the club, zone/region & district level, they are given a topic and 10 minutes to prepare a 1-minute response to this topic. This has been included as an added challenge for students who have already shown that they are skilful at preparing and delivering a prepared speech.

Rules of the Competition

As with any competition, there are some rules to follow, so that everyone has the same opportunity.

Presentation of Speeches

Students should present their speeches from the floor or stage.

NO props, photos, or slideshows during their speech
NO lecterns - this allows for judges to see the student clearly.
Microphones are allowed, BUT not necessary to use one if you don’t have access to one.
Remember it is a speech, not a drama performance.

Judging Criteria

Students will be scored on the following…

Content - The content of their speech must have a beginning, middle and end. Students will be judged on how well researched their topic is, appropriate use of language, how well they address the theme.
Delivery - Their delivery should be confidence, unobtrusive use of notes, good use of gestures, voice projection is particularly important as well as their ability to engage the audience.

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