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March 2024

JP Speak Out challenge:  Character Development: ‘I am better than I was!’ 

In an impressive display of oratory skill, Li Junior, one of our year 10 students, recently secured the Runner Up position at the Merton Regional Final of Jack Petchey's Speak Out Challenge. This prestigious event, part of the largest public speaking programme in England, showcases the talents of Year 10 students from across London and Essex, providing them with a platform to amplify their voices through effective communication. 
 
Li Junior's speech, titled "Character Development," delved into the intricate journey of personal growth and the transformative power of self-reflection. The speech eloquently highlighted how challenging experiences serve as catalysts for enhancing one's character, ultimately leading to positive changes in behaviour and perspective. The key message, "I am better than I was," resonated deeply with the audience, capturing the essence of continuous self-improvement and the impact of life's trials on personal development. 
 
The Jack Petchey’s Speak Out Challenge, managed by Speakers Trust and supported by the Jack Petchey Foundation, aims to build confidence, develop speaking skills, and create opportunities for young individuals to share their stories and ideas. This initiative not only empowers the participants but also fosters a culture of positive communication that can influence education, employability, and social change. 

Li Junior's achievement at the Merton Regional Final stands as a testament to the power of youth voice and the importance of public speaking in personal and community growth. Through this platform, young speakers like Minzako are not only recognised for their talent but are also encouraged to continue their journey of self-discovery and leadership. 

Li Junior was not the only student representing Harris Academy Morden at the finals. He was ably supported by Livni and Andie who also gave stellar performances. Livni, with her speech on ‘Being a Teenager’ encouraged teenagers to ‘be themselves and live life to the fullest’ because ‘you only get one chance at it’. Andie’s thoughtful speech on ‘Addiction and its harmful effects’ challenges teenagers to ‘never love something to the point where it can kill you’. She recounts the damaging impact of drug addiction on her and her family following the death of her uncle. 

The student MC for the night was our very own Angela, who was last year’s regional finals champion. Her role was another example of wit, class and style, qualities that are pertinent in public speaking. Congratulations Angela, you were amazing, and Harris Academy Morden is proud of you. 

All three of our speakers and our student MC used the voices to share powerful messages to the audience. 

Huge congratulations to all of them. 

February 2024

Thirty Year-10 students took part in a Jack Petchey Speak Out Challenge workshop on Tuesday 20^th February. The workshop was delivered by a trained coach who worked with students on developing their public speaking skills. During the workshop, students planned a speech from scratch then delivered it in front of their peers. Three speakers were selected after the workshop to be in the running to represent the academy at the regional finals in March. 

The speeches covered a range of serious topics like Climate Change and Crime to more light-hearted topics like music and football. The winning speakers were Tia with her speech on Racism in Music; Livni with a speech on Being a Teenager and Li with his speech on 'Character Development'.

Other stand out performances came from Tyler with his speech on 'Born a Crime'; Andi Johnson with a speech on 'Drug Addiction' and Beth with hers on 'Racism'

The day was a resounding success. The students left the workshop feeling confident and empowered and are now ready and equipped to complete the Spoken Language component of their GCSE English exam.

November 2023

Yesterday's JP Speak Out Challenge workshop was a huge success. Apart from a few teething problems at the start, our students behaved impeccably and the speeches that they prepared and delivered were outstanding. All of them exceeded our expectations with the quality, content, and style of their presentations, however, 'stand out performances' came from Zafiyah with a speech entitled 'Where do I belong'; Beth  with her presentation on 'Mental Health' and Livni with a well-structured speech on 'Teenage Pressures'.

One of these three will go on the represent the school at the regional finals next year. Other commendable performances came from Daniel with a very heart-warming and emotional presentation about his personal challenges dealing with his own mental health and Billy with his clear, articulate, thought provoking speech on 'Looking after the earth'.