The judges of the CWA Oxley Public Speaking competition at the back were (L-R) Roxanne Gallacher, Bill Jayet and Sue Baxter. The winners of the Year 5 & 6 division in front are (L-R) reserves Catalina Elias (St Joseph’s, Condobolin) and Heidi Barker (Parkes Christian School), highly commended students Grace Mayo (Parkes Christian School), Saxon Guess (Parkes Public School) and Rhys Hutchins (Parkes Public School) and the winner Layla Kupkee (Holy Family).
Parkes students have won three of the four divisions of the annual CWA Oxley Public Speaking event held in Forbes last week.
The organisers were very impressed with the participation of 84 students from 20 schools in the region.
Marcus Skinner from Middleton Public School won the Years 3 & 4 division with his topic Funny Things. Two more Parkes students, Samara Wood from Parkes East and Chelsea Ray from Parkes Christian School received highly commended, and Matthew Thompson from Parkes Christian School was a reserve.
The Years 5 & 6 division was won by Layla Kupkee from Holy Family with her topic Rain, Rain. Rhys Hutchins and Saxon Guess from Parkes Public, and Grace Mayo from Parkes Christian School received highly commended, while Heidi Barker from Parkes Christian School was a reserve.
Lexi Herden from Parkes Christian School won the Years 7 & 8 division with her topic Something I’m proud of, while her fellow students Hannah McIntyre and Llewellyn Pepper received highly commended.
In the Years 9 & 10 division two more Parkes Christian School students excelled with Marcus Moss receiving highly commended and Zac Nash was a reserve.
Other schools represented among the winners were Red Bend Catholic College in Forbes, Forbes High School, St Francis Xavier in Lake Cargelligo, Condobolin Public School and St Joseph’s, Condobolin.
The winners of the four divisions will move to the next level of the competition to be held in Cowra.
“All students are to be congratulated on their outstanding efforts. It is a great learning experience,” said Ros Edwards of the organising committee. “Oxley Group CWA would like to thank the judges, teachers and parents who without their support this experience for the students would not happen.”
The competition was sponsored by Lachlan Shire, Parkes Shire, Jelbart Dawson of Forbes, Evolution Mines and Michael McCormack MP.