As the 25th Annual Youth Award Public Speaking competition, supported by Progressive Building Society, calls for entries, organisers from Soroptimist International are keen to mark the anniversary by encouraging the biggest number of entrants yet.
Given an increase in entries last year, the sponsor, the Progressive Building Society is confident that that the Soroptimist International relationship is working and has committed its support of the competition's growth for a second year.
The competition is open to female students who are in either Years 12 or 13. It annually attracts around 100 entries from right across Northern Ireland.
This year's topics include:
*Men and women: equal at last!
*Size zero: dying to be thin.
*"Only the educated are free"
*Our World is being enhanced by migration
*Anyone else for the European Union?
Around 17 regional Soroptimist clubs host regional heats. If entrants are lucky to win through the heats, they then compete in the Northern Ireland final, vying for first place. At the final, there are prizes down to fourth place.
The overall winner will receive the Soroptimist Youth Award Perpetual Salver, a bursary award of £250 towards her education, and an invitation to deliver a speech at next year's Soroptimist International North/South conference, along with the winner of the Republic of Ireland competition. The winner's school also receives a quantity of book tokens.
Meanwhile, Jennifer Loughridge, Incoming Regional President, Soroptimist International explained that Soroptimist International had been running the Public Speaking Competition since 1982.
"It was started', she recalled, " to promote and encourage young women from across the island of Ireland to meet, develop invaluable interpersonal and presentation skills and in doing so widen their horizons.
"Soroptimist International is delighted and grateful that Progressive Building Society is continuing its very generous sponsorship for a second year. We've seen from the increased entries and coverage from last year that working alongside such a well known business can help enhance the work that Soroptimist International is undertaking with young women in Northern Ireland."
Anyone wishing to enter this competition should contact their school, local club convener or Marie McLaughlin on tel. no. 028 9146 5611 by 11th October 2007.
