Ben, who competed against Year 5, 6 and 7 students across the metropolitan area, won the Most Outstanding Speaker Award for his speech on ‘Chocolate’.

The aim of the Speak Up Award, run by the Grand Lodge of Western Australia, is to provide students with an opportunity to express their views confidently using appropriate speaking skills. It encourages students to research and compose a speech that shows a depth of understanding of the topic.

Ben’s four-minute speech took audiences on an entertaining journey through the history of chocolate, its health benefits, a comparison to vegetables, and finished with the classic Homer Simpson quote: “Mmmm chocolate!”

Ben said he had reworked his speech after winning a bronze medal in the IPSHA Speakers Challenge earlier in the term. “I learned from the judges that the best speeches were not so much about the research but more about the opinion,” Ben said. “So I narrowed down the research and focused more on my opinion.”

He believed his other successful move was giving up his palm cards. “I began with them in round one but decided they restricted my arm movement,” he said. “I used no cards in round two and that felt good. It is a humorous speech so by the third round I really had the audience laughing and I felt relaxed too.”

Ben hopes to compete in the public speaking competitions next year as well as taking part in debating activities in years to come.