Utamu Rose blooms in Public Speaking

Utamu Rose of the St Vincent Grammar School (SVGS) achieved the hat trick for his school by taking the 2011 LIME / Lions Club South Public Speaking title last Thursday, October 20.{{more}}

He beat out Kaela Barrett of the Girls’ High School and Shariel Bowman of the Mountain View Academy, who had to settle for the second and third spots, respectively.

The fifth form student attributed his success to hard work and sacrifice, but was quick to say that he felt no additional pressure to follow in the footsteps of schoolmates Adriel Francois in 2009 and Chezuel Walker in 2010.

He thanked his teachers, who he said helped him prepare, and supportive family members.

Meanwhile, an elated teacher of the SVGS Nakita Jackson said that it was a collaborative effort within the English Department to get Rose ready for the big night.

Competition was keen in the first round as the six finalists delivered presentations on the topic ‘The death of compassion is a frightening reality in St Vincent and the Grenadines’.

Aliesha Primus of the Dr J.P Eustace Secondary did well opening the way for an all round good performance from the other five.

Despite good performances in the main topic and student prepared categories from most students, the titles were shared between Rose who took the main topic award and best impromptu speech with his presentation ‘An honest person is worth emanating’ and Barrett, who was awarded the best student prepared speech with her topic ‘Alcohol abuse by the nation’s teenagers’.

Primus, Bowman and Ackiesha Strough of the George Stephens Secondary School, in that institution’s first appearance in a public speaking final, all gave good accounts of themselves in the first and second round.

Rounding up the finalists on the night was Shiwani Cupid of the North Union Secondary School. (DD)