Every student who competes receives feedback after their heat, sharpening research skills, building confidence and helping them find their own voice in front of others.
The topics traversed by our finalists ranged widely, from the pressure of being perfect online to the importance of human connection, with each speaker willing to sit with something true in front of a full house. There was room for lightness too: one Year 8 student's account of surviving the middle seat of an aeroplane had the audience in stitches.
Year 8 student Holly spoke about her grandfather's advice to 'just kick it', a simple metaphor for resilience that reframed setbacks as something to work through, not sidestep. Year 12 finalist Zephyr encouraged everyone to 'stop and smell the roses', finding hope in the middle of difficulty, not only after it has passed.
These speeches, and many others, reflected the spirit of magis – striving for more, not only in achievement, but in how we show up for one another. Congratulations to all our finalists, and warm thanks to our alumni judging panel, Jennifer Ong (Class 2025), Asha Paton (Class 2024), James Green (Class 2022) and Ben Ottobrino (Class 2022), for returning to hear a new generation of students find their voice.
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