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"Speak Out" Challenge Champion 2007

Lambeth student triumphs

"Speak Out" Challenge Champion 2007

Mermaid Theatre London

5 July 2007    

Francis Oyewole from Lambeth’s Archbishop Tennison’s School is the 2007 JPF “Speak Out” Challenge! champion after coming through to take top honours in Europe’s biggest speaking event involving over 10,000 London teenagers.

The event reached its climax on Thursday 5th July when 18 winners from the 32 borough finals competed in the grand final, held at London’s Mermaid Conference Centre, to win the first prize worth £5,000.  As well as a trophy Francis and his family will enjoy a holiday in Portugal’s Algarve and he also wins for his school a cheque for £3,000.

The Judges

Judges included ‘Bright Ideas’ man Tim Campbell, BBC TV’s first Apprentice,  Joyce Ohajah Newscaster for ITV News, Liz Barclay  BBC Radio 4 presenter, William Lloyd from Brentwood, at 18 the UK’s youngest Councillor, and Andrew Billington, Director of the Jack Petchey Foundation.  Jack Petchey, Founder of the Foundation presented prizes.  Simon Hughes, Liberal Democrat MP for Southwark North & Bermondsey, and President of the Liberal Democrats, also attended.Speak Out Final

The Winning Speech

Francis impressed the judges with his unscripted three minute speech entitled “What a Wonderful World” where he compared the challenges and issues confronting us all, with the words of the famous Louis Armstrong song.

“It’s unbelievable that an ordinary boy like me from Lambeth can come out and win a competition like this” said Francis Oyewole.  “I dedicate my win to the school and to my Mum and Dad”.

Listen to the winning speech

Top Ten Topics 

In second place was Shaheen Mindola from Ealing’s Greenford High School, who spoke about ‘Forced Marriages’.  Shaheen won a trophy and a cheque for £250.Speak out Final

 Today`s teenagers are not interested in sex, drugs or porn. They are not even that interested in computer games or alcohol.  At the end of the training the students had complete freedom to `speak out` on any subject about which they felt strongly and contrary to popular belief students are far more likely to talk about climate change, bullying or poverty.

 The Top Ten Topics from over 10,000 speeches:

  1. Knife and Gun Crime
  2. Global Warming
  3. Stereotyping of teenagers
  4. Racism
  5. Peer pressure
  6. Eradicating poverty
  7. Sport
  8. Importance of the family
  9. Celebrity culture
  10. Size zero debate

 

Students in the grand final spoke out on subjects as diverse as Arranged Marriages, Celebrity Worship, Teenage Pregnancy and Political Corruption.  For further information visit www.speakoutchallenge.com
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