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Rostrum is active in promoting public speaking in the ACT zone, with six clubs. Learn how you can be confident at public speaking. Learn how you can run effective meetings. Drop into a Rostrum meeting.

Rostrum ACT awards 2010

NEWS

ACT Primary Schools Speaking Competition 2013

Information and contact details for the Rostrum ACT Primary Schools Speaking Competition are here.

Critic Accreditation Course

The course on 18 November was attended by 16 participants. It was a full day of training sessions, plus practical speaking, critiquing and adjudicating.

The convenor Neil Spalding did a fine job, with high quality course materials and organisation.

Rostrum Spring Fling and Debate

The Final of the 2012 Warwick Everson Debating Competition between Phillip Club and Canberra City Evening Club was held at the Spring Fling on 31 October. The winner was Canberra City Evening Club.

The organiser was the Woden Club.

Awards for 2011-12

Best individual debater: Sharon Peoples. Presented at the Spring Fling by Chris Bourke MLA.
Pamela Willoughby-Thomas Memorial Trophy for services to Rostrum in the ACT: Ishara Ratnayake
ACT Legislative Assembly Speaker's Trohy for advancing public speaking in the ACT: Hazel Giesecke
Raja Ratnam Award for club leadership: Nick Ewbank
Alan Crook Award for best club: Civic Club
Colin Johns Trophy for New Speaker of the Year: Damien Hughes
Arthur Phillips Trophy for Speaker of the Year: Jane Shelling.

The above 6 awards were presented at the ACT Rostrum Annual Dinner on 21 July by the patron of ACT Rostrum Shane Rattenbury MLA, Speaker of the ACT Legislative Assembly.

Photos from the Annual Dinner are here.

Debating update

Second round

Tuesday 7 August: Civic vs Phillip at the Civic Club meeting (lunchtime).
Wednesday 8 August: Canberra City Evening vs Yass at the CCERC meeting (evening).

Wednesday 15 August: Woden vs Club 3 at the Woden meeting (evening).

The winners of the first two above debates will contest the final at the Spring Fling.

First round

The winning teams in round 1 were Phillip, CCERC and Civic.

Primary schools speaking competition

The results of the Primary Schools Public Speaking Competition for 2012 are:

Winner: Rhea Laverock, Jerrabomberra Public School

Runner up: Elizabeth Dykstra, Campbell Public School

Second runner up: Gabrielle Gregoire, St Gregory’s Primary School

The Grand Final was at Hawker College on 27 August. Congratulations to the speakers.

Information on the competition is on the Primary Schools Speaking Competition page.

The Rostrum Recorder Newsletter

The current Rostrum Recorder is on the website. Read about:

Rostrum in the ACT, from the President
welcoming new members
the debating competition
tips for critics
the Voice of Youth.

About Rostrum

Rostrum is a non-profit organisation for people who want to develop their skills in speaking and managing meetings.

A typical club program will cover speaking to a group, speeches for special occasions, debates, professional presentations, meeting procedure and chairmanship.

You can learn and practise effective communication skills in a friendly supportive atmosphere.

Rostrum in the ACT

The ACT Zone includes Canberra, Queanbeyan, Cooma and Yass. A syllabus of club events is published twice yearly and provided to members. The ACT Dais publishes a newsletter called the Rostrum Recorder which covers events in ACT clubs.