Lions Youth of the Year

Success

The Lions Youth of the Year award is a prestigious public speaking competition where students must be aged between 16 and 18 years of age to participate.

It is an Australia wide event which boasts many high-profile Australians among the ranks of former entrants. These include Kevin Rudd; Peter Beattie, a past premier of Queensland; the ABC’s Sabra Lane and Senator Simon Birmingham. 

By entering the program, which is now in its 55th year, young adults have an unequalled opportunity to experience an interview situation, in a friendly atmosphere, and a chance to practise their public speaking skills.

Year 12 student, Jaelyn Brand participated in the Lions Youth of the Year Regional Final Sunday. This event was a continuation and rerun of the 2020 competition where Jaelyn was also the successful winner at this level. 

She was required to deliver three speeches which included two impromptu speeches and one prepared speech. 

The Impromptu topics were ‘Beauty is indeed in the eye of the beholder” and “Should we be changing the names of everyday items and common sayings, which have been deemed to be racist”.  Challenging topics to say the least. 

Her planned speech was “The importance of sport in communities”. 

As part of the process Jaelyn was required to take part in an interview with the three judges. This discussion covered aspects of her curriculum vitae, special interests, academic successes and current media topics. 

She was successful in winning the Public Speaking award on the day, in addition to the overall Lions Youth of the Year Regional Final award. 

Jaelyn will now join the other regional finalists for the Combined District Final on the 27th March in Warrnambool. 

We would like to congratulate Jaelyn on her success so far and wish her all the best for the Combined District Final.