A team from Tavistock College are celebrating having won the third, District round of the prestigious Rotary ‘Youth Speaks’ competition.
The College puts teams in every year and has frequently been successful, getting through to the national final in recent years.
The intermediate team of Emily Handel, Isabel Prout and Thanae Garland Tsirka (13 to 13 years old) came away as the District Champions after an eloquent, passionate and engaging speech about “Music: Art or Industry?” The team spoke with clarity and precision about how they feel music is becoming too much of a business dominated by celebrity and that there is little opportunity for new, different musicians to have their music heard. It is a topic close to their hearts and this was evident in their compelling delivery.
The standard was exceptionally high and judges commented on the fact that the standard rises year on year. The College also entered another team, Darcy Brown, Amelia Harrison and Jessica Dent, who spoke about “graffiti” and discussed whether graffiti can enhance an area or whether it should always be considered vandalism. They spoke about the famous street artist Banksy and gave their own opinions about how graffiti could be controlled. They spoke eloquently and were also commended for their confidence and poise.
The winning team now progress to the Regional Final in Shaftesbury. This is the semi-finals of this national competition.
