Theodor pupil shines in oral competition

THEODOR Herzl High School pupil Sivuyile Tshefu shone at an oral inter-schools competition held at Alexander Road High School in Port Elizabeth a fortnight ago.

Tshefu, 16, took first position after mastering an oral presentation given to participants in the final stage of the competition. She said winning the competition boosted her confidence in public speaking.

"The competition gave me great pride and I can now confidently say that when faced with any topic, I am able to speak with ease and utmost confidence," Tshefu said.

The competition, organised by Toastmasters International, came after Grade 11 high school pupils from schools around Port Elizabeth were given a chance to attend a Youth Leadership Course. The course, which ran for eight weeks, equipped pupils with the necessary skills on how to be great business leaders.

"We teach pupils communication and presentation skills and how to run a meeting and conduct themselves in the business world," organiser Colleen Love said.

The schools benefiting from the competition include high schools Cape Recife, Westering, Sanctor, Lawson Brown, Victoria Park, and Linkside. Pearson High School pupil Samantha Pieters scooped up second place while Collegiate High School pupil Habi Doucoure took third place.

The winners each received a trophy and each participant received a certificate. "The competition was of a high standard but all the participants were winners," Love said. - Yonela Mgwali