Last month, Xaverian students Sophia Casey and Divya Mehta took part in the annual Catenian Public Speaking Competition.
The competition, which is open to all students aged 16 to 18 years who attend Catholic Schools, brings together the winners from regional competitions held earlier in the year, to perform their speech in front of a panel of judges at the competition’s national finals in Manchester.
Students were asked to write and deliver a four-minute speech on a subject of their choice, and Sophia was the 6th contestant to speak on the topic ‘Is modern technology killing the art of conversation?’ Sophia spoke with conviction, passion, and sincerity and later in the day Divya took to the stage to impress the audience with her speech, ‘Discipline is not a dirty word’, and commanded the room with confidence, poise, and maturity. The judges highly commended both contestants for their heartfelt and moving compositions. Sophia won third place, and Divya was the runner up.
Sophia, former Blessed Thomas Holford Catholic College pupil, is currently in her first year of studying A Levels in Drama & Theatre, English Literature and Philosophy, Ethics & Theology at Xaverian. She said: “The reason I applied to represent Xaverian at the competition is that I was inspired to step out of my comfort zone and explore new opportunities. Engaging in this has given me more self-confidence and belief in my abilities.
“For my speech, I chose the topic ‘How Modern Technology is Killing the Art of Conversation’. This subject resonates with me as I believe too much of what we say gets misunderstood over text which causes unnecessary conflict.
“I chose Xaverian as I loved the subjects and really wanted to make new friends and grow as a person, which I definitely have. I love all three of my subjects as I am provided with all the support and resources I need to thrive and achieve highly. Although I remain uncertain about my future career path, participating in this competition has ignited a newfound enjoyment for public speaking. Who knows maybe I’ll be the next Prime Minister!”
Divya, who also joined the College in September 2024, after completing her GCSEs at Priestnall School, to study A Levels in English Literature, History, Textiles and the EPQ, said: “My initial inspiration to participate in the competition came from wanting to push myself into areas that I hadn’t explored yet. I hadn’t had much/any experience in public speaking and so I wanted to see, not only if I liked it, but if I had a passion for it. My English teacher first introduced me to this competition and explained the benefits and skills that participating would give me. In the future, I plan to study Law at University College London and so these skills will be crucial for me.
“My speech was entitled ‘Discipline is not a dirty word’. I chose this one from the list as I believe and have believed for a while that discipline does have a place in our society. Although, a lot of the time, especially with the uprising of social media, it is misconstrued, so I wanted to help break down the stigma around discipline being ‘cruel’. Discipline has been useful for me in my everyday life and is something that I believe can be harnessed for good, for everyone.
“I chose to study at Xaverian as the main appeal was the positive feel of the campus and the lively student atmosphere. I also loved the History modules that were offered for students, especially the studying of American history which I am extremely interested in. I love all of my subjects and the creative capacity they offer.”
Jen Mason, Divisional Lead commented: “In today’s world it is essential that young people equip themselves with the skills to communicate confidently, clearly and effectively. It was an incredibly close competition, but both students were extremely impressive and inspirational. I am enormously proud of their efforts – they are a real credit to Xaverian.”
One of the things that sets Xaverian apart is our commitment to enriching students’ futures outside of the classroom. Xaverian Xtras Enrichment gives students a chance to get involved in fantastic opportunities that are fun, interesting and educational, and will give them a really fulfilling College experience. To find out more visit www.xaverian.ac.uk