Rotorua students prove they have gift of gab

A calm and collected Rebecca McMenamin stepped on to centre stage to present her winning speech - after just one minute of preparation.

Rotorua had a strong showing at last weekend's Lions Club Young Speechmakers Bay of Plenty Contest with three students from John Paul College making the top six, qualifying for the central North Island regional final in Cambridge on Sunday. Students involved in the contest must present a prepared and impromptu speech, with hundreds of high school students competing.

John Paul College head girl Rebecca, 18, said she was delighted to get through with her prepared speech on optimism and pessimism and her impromptu speech on doors.

She said she entered the competition because public speaking was very exciting and it taught invaluable life skills. "I really like sharing ideas with people and connecting with an audience."

Rebecca said the John Paul College ball runs until midnight tomorrow and the three students competing at the speech contest would need to be ready to go to Cambridge by 9.30am the next morning. "It will be challenging to be active and remember everything, but on the other hand I suppose it just means it's a good weekend coming up."

Rebecca joins fellow John Paul College students Emma Weir and Issac Brunton in the Central North Island regional finals.

John Paul College head of drama Gabrielle Thurston said the trio were fast thinkers and had every chance of making it through on Sunday.

Three successful speakers from Sunday's competition will go on to the North Island finals followed by the national finals later this year. The winner of the national competition will receive a trip to Canada and the USA covered by Lions Clubs New Zealand.