National Public Speaking Championships
The 38th Annual National Public Speaking Championships were hosted, virtually, by SJR from Friday, February 11, to Sunday, February 13, 2022, and involved the top high school debaters and public speakers from across Canada.
Congratulations to all the students who took part. The great success of this event is attributed to your hard work and dedication to the art of public speaking. The judges were impressed with all of the speeches and debates that were presented over the competition.
We are especially pleased to announce that several students from SJR were rewarded for their hard work and exceptional performances. Aliya K (Grade 12), Rhea G (Grade 12), Keegan S (Grade 12), Kai J (Grade 11), Vedant S (Grade 10) and Cooper P (Grade 11), were all finalists in one event or more. As a result of their success in the tournament, Keegan S (Grade 12) and Vedant S (Grade 10) have qualified to represent Canada at the World Championships in April, 2022.
Here are the students from our school who received notable rankings in the tournament:
Overall
2nd – Keegan S (Grade 12)
7th – Vedant S (Grade 10)
Interpretive Reading:
1st – Cooper P (Grade 11)
Persuasive Speaking
3rd – Vedant S (Grade 10)
Impromptu Speaking
3rd – Keegan S (Grade 12)
Special thanks go to the Grade 10 Debate classes who organized the event, the volunteers who assisted in judging the tournament, and to the SJRPA who worked tirelessly to recruit and coordinate judges for the event. To Graeme Berrington, Tina Gordon, and John Robinson, thank you for your hard work in organizing this event and for continuing to support and coach SJR students who are keen on developing and identifying as great public speakers!
SJR is proud to be accredited and affiliated with several local, national and international educational organizations.
St. John’s-Ravenscourt School was founded in 1820 principally to serve the children of the Selkirk settlers. By 1834 there were forty students, evenly split between boys and girls. SJR has inevitably grown and changed over the years since, though its success throughout has been unimpeachable. We have graduated 18 Rhodes scholars, for example, and Her Majesty Queen Elizabeth II granted patronage and established a scholarship in her name in 1981. Today the programs are as strong as our reputation. A strong academic program is paired with an equally strong attention to the values of stewardship, ethical leadership, and excellence in all areas of academic, social and athletic life.