Todd Declamation 2019

The annual sixth form public speaking competition saw seven finalists extrapolate, cogitate and pontificate in order to impress the judges and win the coveted Todd Cup.

The Todd Declamation, now in its fourth year, saw a wide variety of thought-provoking topics presented to the audience in the Burns Recital Hall:

Amadi (St Vincent) - The mystery of the DeBeers Diamond Corporation

Charlotte (Raleigh) - Sport: redefining beauty

Xanthe (Raleigh) - Cryptography: Has it reached its peak?

Lisa (Howe) - Why we should let ourselves be bored more

Giles (Cornwallis) - Voting rights should be extended to the incarcerated

Libby (Anson) - Why I want to be a housewife: a feminist point of view

Alfie (Drake) - Why the negatives of the crypto currency market outweigh the positives

Subjects were explored and challenged in front of the declamation's judges Deputy District Judge Elisabeth Todd and Deputy High Court Judge Richard Todd Q.C. who also kindly sponsored the awards and prizes. With so much talent and energy on display it was a tough decision but Amadi's revelatory talk on the enigmatic diamond industry earned him the cup with Lisa's clever conclusions on boredom seeing her named runner-up.

Head of Sixth Form, Chris Graham said "The Ancient Greeks developed the art of oratory over 2,000 years ago. In classical Greece and Rome, the main component was rhetoric, and was an important skill in public and private life. Good orators are able to change the emotions of their listeners, not just inform them. Our speakers today showed the high standards of oracy we have here at the Royal Hospital School. Pupils develop these skills throughout the curriculum and also in extra-curricular activities such as Model United Nations, debating and public speaking competitions. We had one winner today in Amadi and a runner-up in Lisa but over 25 pupils entered the competition which is testament to the confidence and depth of ability we have here at RHS."