The hallways are buzzing as the students of Newington College wend their way towards the classroom where public speaking training is held.

Every Thursday at 3.30pm, the doors are opened to those students who are keen to hone their speaking skills, grow their knowledge and build their confidence. Up to 15 students from Years 7 to 12 regularly participate across the program at any given time, which Head of Public Speaking, Mr Tom Robinson, says is purposefully designed to provide a non-threatening and welcoming environment.

‘It’s a comfortable place for the students to build their skills because public speaking itself can be quite frightening for a lot of people,’ he explains.

‘We don’t want to make the process any more difficult than it needs to be. Some of the students do start out quite tentatively, but over time it’s wonderful to see them develop that confidence and decide they want to extend themselves to participate in competitions.’

As well as the internal Newington Public Speaking Competition, which is held in Term 3, the College is busily preparing for three external public speaking competitions to be held in the first half of 2025; the Rostrum Voice of Youth which kicks off today, the Lawrence Campbell Oratory competition in early May, and the Department of Education’s Plain English Speaking Award across May and June.

Mr Robinson says the annual public speaking calendar is very broad, catering to the interests of a wide range of students, and is also aligned with the Newington ethos of critical thinking which is embedded throughout the College’s curriculum from K to 12.

‘Some of the competitions are based around research-oriented ideas and the solving of real-world problems, while others are rhetoric-based or tap into more philosophical ideas. They provide excellent exercise for the mind, researching, critical thinking and then putting all that into words,’ he says.

In addition, the Newington public speaking program imparts vital skills that will play a key role in the future lives and careers of those who participate.

‘Not only does public speaking improve the critical thinking skills of students throughout their schooling lives, but it also sets them up for a future where they as adults have the confidence to advocate for both themselves and other members of society,’ says Mr Robinson.

Public Speaking and Debating Captain and Year 12 student Daniel Carter has met with huge success in his public speaking career to date, having participated in debating since Year 5, then venturing into the world of public speaking in Year 7. He spends three days a week on these co-curricular activities, and in the past has spoken on diverse topics ranging from literary works such as the Odyssey, the Aeneid and the contemporary work of Chimamanda Adiche through to strategies for solving real-world problems such as homelessness, education in rural areas of Australia, and nuclear disarmament.

‘The public speaking program here is fantastic, there’s a lot of variety and it’s just so much fun,’ Daniel says.

‘It has definitely extended my speaking and thinking skills, my problem-solving skills have improved, and being involved has really helped me to enjoy the intellectual rigours of school life as well.’

One of the competitions at which Daniel particularly excelled was the United Nations Youth ‘Voice Competition’, winning the national competition in 2022 with a speech that explored methods to combat modern slavery.

‘At the UN Youth Voice, you’re tackling the big topics,’ he says.

‘So that was a really long process between myself and Mr Robinson, doing a lot of research and a lot of refinement of my speech to produce a solution. It’s a great way to train your brain and develop your critical thinking skills.’

Daniel notes that while there is scope in the public speaking program to compete and achieve at a higher level, it is also designed to accommodate any Newington student who wishes to simply come along and see what it’s all about.

‘Give it a go, it’s very accessible and there are so many levels at which you can participate,’ he says.

‘You really can just show up and try it out to see what it’s like. There’s no obligation for you to keep going, and there’s no obligation to do any high-level competitions. So, if you’re thinking about it, there’s nothing to lose. Come along and have a go.’

As well as the Rostrum Voice of Youth, Lawrence Campbell Oratory and Plain English Speaking Award, other 2025 public speaking events Newington competes in include the Evatt Model United Nations Competition, the United Nations Youth Voice and the Department of Education’s Junior Secondary Speaking Award (previously known as Legacy). Newington has high hopes for all its participants in these upcoming competitions.