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Stansted student comes 3rd in contest
Posted: 13th May 2019A Stansted teenager is celebrating success at a regional public speaking contest.
Brandon Gooding Monfries was one of 17 Year 10 students to reach the North Essex Regional Final of the Jack Petchey Speak Out Challenge.
The student from Forest Hall School came third in the contest with his speech entitled Eating Mud.
Funded by the Jack Petchey Foundation, communication skills training is provided to students ahead of the Speak Out Challenge youth speaking event by public speaking charity Speakers Trust.
Students learn skills and build confidence through a series of activities and communication games. The top speaker is chosen to represent the school.
Head of school Hannah Jones said: “Brandon has really done Forest Hall proud. His speech is meaningful for all young people and we can all learn something from it.”
The event, at New Rickstones Academy in Witham, was hosted by last year’s winner Amarni-Jai Newman, a Forest Hall student.
Leanne Black, head of English, said: “Brandon spoke about peer pressure and used an anecdote about the time he was pressured into eating mud by some new friends. His message to the audience was not to give into peer pressure.
“As well as the important message, I think he came third because he is a very charismatic speaker and his speech was entertaining and memorable.
“The Speak Out Challenge and the workshop leading up to it are fantastic opportunities to develop public speaking skills which will help in future.”