Dannevirke teen proves small towns can roar

Dannevirke High School's head girl Lauren Carr won the New Zealand Lions Young Speechmaker of the Year contest at the weekend. Photo / Christine McKay

Judges at the Eastern Districts Lions young speechmakers regional final said Dannevirke High School had gained a reputation for producing public speakers of noticeable quality in recent years.

Head girl Lauren Carr, 17, won that regional final and proved that comment correct when she went on to win the national contest at the weekend against 14 high-calibre speakers.

Lauren's six-minute prepared speech, Ministry of Vulnerable Children, focused on what she believes needs to happen if we going to change anything.

"It was very passionate and that passion was raw, but I wasn't crying, using statistics to help make my point," she said.

One of the judges told Lauren he was impressed with how she explained a government policy.

"I'm quite political," she said. "In 2013 I gave a speech on child abuse, and growing up in a small town, you do see it."

Although fascinated by politics, Lauren will be heading to medical school next year, intent on becoming a paediatrician, but that doesn't mean she'll be leaving her political dream behind.

At the speechmaker national final in Wellington, Lauren competed against students from university and prestigious schools.

"They were of so much quality and here I was, from Dannevirke High School, the smallest of all, speaking against the likes of a University of Otago student representing thousands of students.

"But waiting for my turn, it just made me more determined to do well.

"I'm all for breaking the small-town mentality.

"Attending a small country school doesn't limit you and that's the one thing as head girl I am trying to get across.

"Dannevirke High School is awesome, fantastic."

Lauren's impromptu speech theme was freedom and she had just a few minutes to prepare.

"It's such a broad topic, but my dad is from Scotland, so I took my lead from Braveheart and carried it through to what freedom will mean for me going to university next year," she said.

In winning the national contest, Lauren has earned a six-week trip to the United States and Canada, leaving a week before Christmas.

"I'll be 18 and it will be just me, a suitcase and a guitar," she said.

And that guitar is pretty important. Lauren is also an accomplished musician, writing music and winning best solo performer, best song and best vocals at this year's Wairarapa Regional Smokefree Rockquest competition, and placing fourth nationally.

Last year Lauren and her band Hymns & Her were second in the rockquest Manawatu regional finals.

"Life is pretty jam-packed and it's been a crazy few months," she said.

But above all else, one of the most important aspects of Lauren's life has been Dannevirke High School.

"It's about whanau. Being connected and feeling so supported by teachers and students who are constantly lifting me up," she said.

"They're so proud of me and I feel that, it's awesome.

"I hope other students can take that and run with it as well."