Our People
25 September, 2025
Shayla’s a speaking sensation
STAWELL Secondary College student, Shayla Madin has excelled as a public speaker reaching the National Final of the Legacy Junior Public Speaking Awards which will be held in Adelaide on November 17th.
Shayla, was one of the Ararat Legacy’s regional final winners of the Legacy Public Speaking Awards held at the end of June.
This achievement made her eligible for the State Final which was held at Ballarat Legacy House on the September 10th where she competed against eight other students from Ballarat, Warrnambool, Hamilton and Wimmera Legacy regions.
Shayla performed incredibly well on a wide range of topics to a captive audience.
She presented her five minute topic on ‘What Social Justice Means to Me’ and then the topic ‘Forks’ for the two minute impromptu.
It was great moment for Shayla, her teacher Chrissy Prior, her family, friends and Ararat Legatees present when she was announced as the runner-up to winner on the day Ajay Sonti from Portland Secondary College.
The Legacy Junior Public Speaking Awards are coordinated annually by Ballarat Legacy and is aimed at Victorian regional Legacy Clubs with secondary students aged 12-14 years eligible.
Ararat Legacy has hosted annually a regional final for many years with Ararat, Marian, Stawell and Beaufort Colleges involved.
The Junior Public Speaking Competition is part of ‘Legacy in
Schools’ Program which is currently funded through the Victorian Government Remembrance Program.
“We are thrilled that we have another national finalist and certainly will be supporting Shayla in Adelaide,” Ararat Legacy President Kevin Bowles said.
Read More: Stawell