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A last-minute “leap of faith” has propelled a Haileybury student into national speaking awards.
Zuva Goverwa, of Lysterfield, took out the Victorian title in the VCAA Plain English Speaking Awards.
She is set to represent the state in the national finals in September.
“Considering the calibre of everyone who spoke, and the diversity and ingenuity of the speech topics, I truly was not expecting to win.”
She won the state finals held online in August with a prepared speech entitled Seen And Not Heard.
It focused on a major frustration for her and many peers.
“I wanted to highlight how disproportionate our intelligence as a generation is to how much society is willing to listen to us,” she says.
“I hoped to communicate that this issue is not only unfair, given that we are the ones who will inherit the world we are trying to change, but it’s ultimately dangerous to the progression of society as it enables apathy.”
Ms Goverwa then delivered an impromptu talk on ‘last minute decisions’.
“Initially, due to a mix of fear and a busy timetable, I’d been tossing up whether or not to compete in the first round of heats.
“But, the night before the competition, I decided to take the leap of faith and confirm my entry, never imagining I’d make it this far.
“So, I based my impromptu speech on the idea of expanding your comfort zone through spontaneity and the opportunities you allow yourself when you do.”
The public-speaking competition is open to 15 to 18 year olds.
It is designed to help students build self-confidence and extend their oral communication skills, speech writing and research experience.
