Year 10 Cattleya and year 13 Taiaopo's speeches follow this year's theme of 'Weaving together an environment for a better future'.

Good luck to Cattleya and Taiaopo who are flying to Auckland this evening with kaiako, Omai, to compete  at the Consulate-General of Samoa at the FAGASA Samoan speech competition on Thursday. 

"The topic this year is 'Weaving together an environment for a better future'", Cattleya explains. "Lalaga Le Si'osi'omaga mo se Lumanai Manuia".

Both Cattleya and Taiaopo moved to New Zealand from Samoa in 2016 and 2017 respectively with no English. Now fluent in two languages, their speech, in Samoan is about the differences between Samoa and New Zealand. "There's  three key points, the first one is life in Samoa, life in New Zealand and differences about the school back in Samoa and the school here," Cattleya explains. 

Samoan schools are a lot more traditional than Haeata, "The difference in Samoa is there's only one teacher and like 30 kids... It's been a big challenge for me... In Samoa I didn't speak English," says Cattleya. 

When asked how she learnt English so fast Cattleya seemed surprised herself, "I don't know!"

In May this year, Cattleya Fruean  also came 2nd in the Junior Samoan Section of the SPACPAC Pasifica Speech Competition. "We're confident our speakers will get placings this year," says kaiako, Taumoloto. The standard this year is very high. 

"I'm so nervous," Taiaopo says. 

"I'm nervous about her one because she changed it, she added more," Cattleya says. 

Omai and Taiaopo and Cattleya's family have been supporting them in writing their speech. "We encouraged them to write about what they think, from their own experiences, about what they know about the culture or about the theme," says Omai. 

Although Cattleya is only in year 10, both students will be gaining 16 NCEA level 3 credits for their work towards constructing and performing their speech. 

We wish them the best of luck in their respective categories!  Safe travels and good luck girls! Manuia le fa'amoemoe!!!