On Monday 19 March, some forty people assembled at the City of London School, which had generously offered to host the occasion. These included twelve contestants from four schools, friends, family, the distinguished judging panel and a most welcome group of supporters from the Guild, who contributed fully to the evening by asking some tricky questions and talking enthusiastically with the participants. The three judges were:
Dr David Moore, Master, Guild of Educators (Chair of the Panel)
His Honour Judge Harold Wilson
Mrs Lyn Williams, Chairman, Livery Schools Link
The range of speeches and speakers was excellent
- Daniel Eisenberg - UCS - "Are books becoming obsolete?"
- Emily Cousens - CLSG - "Marketing is taking over the world"
- Sam Hughes - UCS - "Ending poverty"
- Surma Begum - Mulberry - "Have we become the slaves of trends and fashion?"
- Alex Reut-Hobbs - CLS - "Respect: do we deserve it?"
- Hursh Mehta - CLS - "We have the media we deserve"
- Fatima Islam - Mulberry - "The multi-cultural city: can it work?"
- Eylon Levy - UCS - "Policing today's youth: what are the challenges?"
- Rachel Maby - CLSG - "The importance of art in today's society"
- Sarah Sarwar - Mulberry - "The Olympic Games 2012: what will it do for London?"
- Eliza Easton - CLSG - "Women are more sexist than men"
- Daniel Pyzer-Knapp - CLS - "Young people should stand up and be counted"
UCS: University College School, Hampstead
CLSG: City of London School for Girls
Mulberry: Mulberry School for Girls, Tower Hamlets
CLS: City of London School (Boys)
The Contestants and the organiser
Speakers presented their talks for 5-6 minutes and then responded to questions for a further 2-3 minutes. For the organiser, this Q&A session is always a bit of a worry, in case the response is muted, so the judges were primed to chip in with questions. In fact, they did not need to ask a single question, so vigorous was the response from other contestants and supporters from the schools, who responded magnificently to the issues raised with a battery of penetrating questions - handled adroitly by these assured 15-16 year-olds.
Those present expressed themselves delighted by the consistently excellent quality of presentations:
"It was a vibrant occasion, with plenty of good speeches that informed and entertained. I hope, too, that your event is repeated."
(Thomas Wingate, Teacher, City of London School)
"I enjoyed it enormously and was hugely impressed and much heartened by the extraordinarily high standard of the contestants. I felt really quite awed by their abilities."
(Lyn Williams, judge)
"The girls were all impressed by the quality of the competition, and I believe learned a tremendous from participating. We hope to be involved again in the future."
(Brandon Block, Enrichment Coordinator, Mulberry School for Girls)
The Master introducing the Awards
Here are the prize-winners, pictured with the Master:
The Master congratulating the overall winner
Grateful thanks are due to the Master, His Honour Judge Harold Wilson and Lyn Williams for their excellent adjudication, to Tom Wingate of City of London School for the generous use of the school and the refreshments, and to the Clerk, Keith Lawrey, the Upper Warden, Peter Warren, and Freeman Ann Stranack for their encouragement and support.
Pam Taylor, Freeman
