(Contestants in the Stittsville Lions Club Effective Speaking Contest held on February 26, 2020. L to R: Zhenhao Li, Laurent Bourget, Rosa Iuliano (partially hidden), Guillaume Bourget, Evan Moo, Lucy Hambly and Karolina Moo. Photo: Stittsville Central)
The weather on February 26, 2020 was not going to impede the young contestants from delivering their speeches in the Effective Speaking Contest held by the Stittsville Lions Club.
Each of the seven contestants and their families were served dinner prior to the competition. Dinner over, the room was then filled with a cacophony of voices as each contestant gave that one last rehearsal while awaiting the contest start time – helping to allay any nervous pangs.
Then it was time. As the rules were reviewed, each child listened attentively to ensure their hard work in preparing would be within the guidelines. Then it came time for the first contestant to deliver.
Judges for the competition were the venerable John Curry, District 4 Lions Governor Beth Lewis and community volunteer Alex Howard. The entrants and winners in this year’s annual competition were:
Junior French category – Winner – Guillaume Bourget who is aged 11 and in Grade 5 at École secondaire catholique Paul-Desmarais. Guillaume spoke on the topic of “Bees”.
Intermediate French category – Winner – Laurent Bourget who is aged 13 and in Grade 8 at École secondaire catholique Paul-Desmarais. Laurent spoke on the topic of “Climate Change”.
Senior French category – Winner – Karolina Moo who is aged 17 and in Grade 12 at Collège catholique Franco-Ouest. Karolina spoke on the topic of “Optimism”.
Junior English category – Winner – Lucy Hambly who is aged 11 and in Grade 6 at A. Lorne Cassidy Elementary School. Lucy spoke on the topic of “Books versus Their Movie Adaptations”.
Intermediate English category – Winner – Zhenhao Li who is aged 14 and in Grade 9 at Merivale High School. Zhenhao spoke on the topic of “How Basketball Changed my Life”.
Intermediate English category – Runner-up – Rosa Iuliano who is aged 13 and in Grade 8 at Sacred Heart High School. Rosa spoke on the topic of “Why you should appreciate your life more”.
Senior English category – Winner – Evan Moo who is aged 15 and in Grade 10 at École secondaire catholique Paul-Desmarais. Evan spoke on the topic of “What it is to be Canadian”.
Winners of this local Lions effective speaking contest will now go on to Stage 2 that is the District Competition to take place at the Royal Canadian Legion, 5550 Ann Street, in Manotick on Saturday, March 28.
(Stittsville Lions Club Effective Speaking 2020 French entry winners – L to R: Karolina Moo, Laurent Bourget, Guillaume Bourget. Photo: Governor Beth Lewis)
(Stittsville Lions Club Effective Speaking 2020 English entry winners – L to R: Rosa Iuliano, Zhenhao Li, Evan Moo, Lucy Hambly. Photo: Governor Beth Lewis.)
