Young Speechmaker Contest
The Lions Clubs of New Zealand offer youth from 16 to 21 years of age (as at 15 November in the year of the competition) the opportunity to participate in a national public speaking contest.
Entry is free to the contestants and open to the public through your local Lions Club. Generally, there will be at least a district contest with the winner/s coming forward to the National Final held in August each year.
This year, the final will be held in New Plymouth on August 2nd, venue to be confirmed.
What is the Young Speechmaker Contest?
Your local Lions Club will contact your school or youth group and offer to sponsor speakers for the District contest.
The District contest/s are all to be completed by the 30th June and up to three contestants from each District will come to the National (MD202) Contest in August.
Travel arrangements and venue details will be discussed with the national finalists by the NZ Lions Young Speechmaker Coordinator as soon as practicable after the 30th June.
We encourage participation and support from fellow students, their families and Lion Club members at all contests. The only cost involved in attending is the catering charge (typically around $15) for morning tea, lunch and an afternoon tea before you all head home. Contestants are paid for by their sponsoring Lions Club.
Prizes are awarded to all winners. A4 Certificates of Appreciation are provided for all contestants to place in their CV. At national level good prizes are provided by our sponsors for the top three winners.
The Young Speechmaker rules, criteria and judging sheets are much the same as they have been for years and these are available for download from this page as is the application form.
If you wish to contact your local Lions Club directly you can search for them here and then send them a message.
RESULTS of the 2024 Lions New Zealand Young Speechmaker Final
Judges at last year’s Young Speechmaker final, held at the Wainuiomata Baptist Church on Saturday, 10 August, had a very tough decision to find placegetters from the District finalists who had made it to this point in the competition. Eleven talented young speechmakers, who came from areas spread geographically from the far north to the deep south, and spoke on a wide variety of topics, represented their schools, their sponsoring Lions clubs, and their families with honour and integrity.
Results of the competition were as follows:
1st – Leo Mwape (202D – Palmerston North Middle District Lions)
2nd – Lydia Black (202M – Dannevirke Host Lions)
3rd – Hannah Webster (202M – Waipawa District Lions)
Other finalists (in district alphabetical order)
Jasiah Fergusson (202E – Akaroa and Bays Lions)
Liam Calder (202F – Makarewa Lions)
James Watson (202F – Wanaka Upper Clutha Lions)
Alice Johnston (202J – Dunedin Host Lions)
Maria Walker-Kinnell (202K – Orewa Lions)
Tasha Shahwe (202K – Howick Lions)
Daniel Zhao (202L – East Hamilton Lions)
Jacqueline Li (202L – East Hamilton Lions)
Thanks go to the organising committee from Wainuiomata Lions Club who put in so much effort to ensure the smooth running of the event.
Photos (as attached):
Image 1: The three placegetters with 202M FVDG Ron Wezenbeek and PDG Pam Fiveash
Image 2: The finalists, from left to right: Leo Mwape, Jasiah Fergusson, Tasha Shahwe, Danial Zhao, Hannah Webster, Jacquieline Li, James Watson, Alice Johnston, Maria Walker-Kinnell and Lydia Black. Absent: Liam Calder
Contributed by PDG Pam Fiveash, MD202 Lions Young Speechmaker Coordinator
Photos of Competitors:
The three placegetters with 202M FVDG Ron Wezenbeek and PDG Pam Fiveash
1st – Leo Mwape (202D – Palmerston North Middle District Lions)
2nd – Lydia Black (202M – Dannevirke Host Lions)
3rd – Hannah Webster (202M – Waipawa District Lions)
The finalists, from left to right: Leo Mwape, Jasiah Fergusson, Tasha Shahwe, Danial Zhao, Hannah Webster,
Jacquieline Li, James Watson, Alice Johnston, Maria Walker-Kinnell and Lydia Black. Absent: Liam Calder
Contestants
Want to know more and to enter?
Read the competition rules and criteria
Complete the online application form
Get in touch with your local sponsoring Lions Club.
Not sure where your nearest club is? You can search for them here.
If you need further assistance contact us at .
Lions Clubs & Districts
For instructions on running the competition at a local level, contact your District Youth Chair or MD202 Young Speechmaker Coordinator.
To download an editable poster for your Club click here.
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