Public Speaking & Debating

If you’re afraid to speak in public, you’re not alone. A well-known study showed that more people put fear of public speaking at the top of the list of fears, even above the fear of death. At AHMP we believe that if you are armed with practical tools for creating a focused presentation, you would be able to conquer this fear and learn practical ways to hold the audience’s attention.

PUBLIC SPEAKING

Van Huyssteens Oratorical Festival (Gauteng North)

The aim of the competition is to challenge learners’ ability to speak unprepared. Learners compete in two categories: English and bilingual. Teams with four participants each have 60 minutes to prepare, while individual speakers have 45 minutes to prepare.

Learners choose one topic from a variety of contemporary and philosophical/actuality subjects.

AHMP were the overall winners in both 2022 and 2023. In 2024 the English individual category was won by Olivia Lubbe and the bilingual category winners were Carla Venter (grade 11), Zea van Wyk (grade 8) and Me’lize van Zyl (grade 9).

Grade 9 English team and Grade 10 bilingual team came first.

Pretoria Public Speaking Festival

This competition is an annual highlight on the Public Speaking calendar. It is notable that AHMP is the only Afrikaans school that takes part in this English Home Language competition. Topics are often derived from quotes and learners are required to do research and to communicate their research in a logical, meaningful way. The speakers deliver prepared speeches.

Learners may compete in the Best Speakers’ and Teams’ Categories.

For three consecutive years AHMP public speakers, Nika Hood (2021) and Megan Kruger (2022) and Olivia Lubbe (2023) had been awarded the Best Speakers’ Award.

All Girls Festival

This is annual festival for girls’ schools only. One junior and one senior speaker enter and are required to speak prepared and unprepared. Very valuable speech work shops often form part of the festival’s activities. Sandy Prinsloo was awarded the Junior best speaker’s award in 2024.

Four Schools Public Speaking Festival

AHMP, AHS, Pretoria Boys High and Pretoria Girls High compete for the Junior and Senior Best Speakers Award in this festival. The schools take turns in hosting this valuable collaborative event. In 2024 Sandy Prinsloo and Carina van Schoor came 1^st and 2^nd in the junior category and Olivia Lubbe was awarded 2^nd in the senior category.

Contact person: Mrs. M. Oertel michele.oertel@ahmp.co.za