Student orators, speechwriters, poets and actors… Aquinas needs you!

The college is seeking entrants for this year’s Chanel Shield Challenge, the annual inter-school Catholic cultural competition between colleges. It is open to students in Years 9-13. Categories include speeches, bible reading, drama and debating. 

This year’s event runs from August 12-13 and is being hosted by Campion College in Gisborne. (Please note, the junior category is Y9 and 10, and the senior section is Y11-13.)

Entrants are needed for the following sections:

1. Junior Bible Reading: Old or New Testament (2-3 minutes in length)

2. Senior Bible Reading: Old or New Testament (3-4 minutes in length)

3. Junior Prepared Speech: Topic – A soundness and clarity surrounding a Christian ethos (4-5 minutes in length)

4. Senior Oratory Topic: – A soundness and clarity surrounding a Christian issue (6 -8 minutes in length)

5. Impromptu Speech: Topic – A current religious/moral issue (4 -6 minutes)

6. Junior Poetry: Poem must have a definite Christian emphasis

7. Senior Poetry: Poem must have a definite Christian emphasis

8. Māori Perspective Speech: Māori theme with a Christian emphasis. Body of the speech is to be in English, there must be a mihi in Te Reo to begin and a waiata to conclude (6 – 8 minutes). The waiata is not part of the adjudicated speech.

9. Drama: Form of drama is optional but must have a Christian moral emphasis (10 minutes in length)

10. Debating: impromptu with 30 minutes prep time.

11. Religious Knowledge Quiz: Questions derived from the Gospel of Mark. All students who are involved in sections 1 – 10 compete in this.