By Connie Tabbert
Editor
FORESTERS FALLS — David Bell finally has the elusive trophy he has been after for several years. He earned the top trophy at the Lions Club Effective Speaking competition with his speech The Right to Privacy.
The 14-year-old son of Jennifer and Scott Bell received the top honour at the provincial event held in London last month.
“This is the first time I’ve won at the provincial level, but my fourth time competing there,” he said. “I am very happy and proud of myself.”
To get to the provincial, David competed at the regional Lions Club competition in Orleans. He was representing the Beachburg Lions Club. He placed first in the intermediate division, which allowed him to continue to provincial.
David said even though he’s been participating in public speaking competitions since Kindergarten, and he’s now in Grade 9 at Opeongo High School, the judges always find ways of coaching you on how to speak better. Advice he received this year was to hold his eye contact just a bit longer and change the rise and fall in the rate of giving his speech and tone of his voice.
At the regional and provincial competitions, not only does the speaker present their speech, but they must also prepare a two to three minute speech on an impromptu topic. At regional, the topic was Experience is the best teacher while at provincial it was what advice do you give someone who’s nervous about public speaking. On stage since kindergarten, David had no problems answering the impromptu topic.
“I love being on stage,” he said. “I share things I find interesting or I feel is a problem in our society,” he said.
David was the only student from Opeongo who competed in the Lions Club competition. However, his mom noted three students from Cobden District Public School, where she is a teacher, also competed at the regional championship and all placed in the top three in their age category: Payton Rochon, Jorah Stuart-Paull and Danielle Bell (yes, David’s sister). Ms. Bell noted Payton also went onto the provincial championship, and while not placing, she did very well.
“I was a very proud teacher sitting in the audience,” Ms. Bell said.
She noted while public speaking is part of the curriculum at elementary school, it is not at high school. David received no help with his speech from his teachers, however, following his win at the provincial level, the principal let students know of his accomplishment by making it part of the morning announcements. As well, David presented his speech during last week’s arts night celebration.
David said while public speaking may not be a sport, it has some similarities, such as having to practice speaking in front of others and getting “in the zone before getting on stage like a hockey player does before the big game.”
As a participant ages and participates in higher age categories at public speaking competitions, the speeches change as well, David said. In the younger grades, you can dress the part you are talking about, such as if you are taking about fishing, you may wear fishing gear. As you get into the more advance grades, it’s more about what your topic is about, how you deliver the speech and dressing more formally.
To decide on a topic, David said throughout the year, he pays attention to what’s going on. In January, his chooses a topic and begins the research.
“I keep an open mind about possible speech topics,” he said. “It has to be something I enjoy talking about and informed about.
“At this level, we are expected to talk on an informed topic, not just something off the top of your head,” David said. “I did a lot of research on my speech this year.”
David finds public speaking “a lot of fun” and realizes it’s a life skill that will help him throughout life.
“It will help me in the future because the competitions have given me the ability to talk in front of people,” he said. “It’s helped me see what I can and can’t do.”
