A schoolgirl from Hammersmith Academy has won a borough-wide public speaking compeition.
Natalie Brundle scooped top prize in the Hammersmith & Fulham regional final of Jack Petchey’s “Speak Out” Challenge!, held at Burlington Danes Academy in February.
The 15-year-old impressed judges with her winning speech ‘The light in the Darkness’, fighting off stiff competition from 16 other young speakers from schools in the Hammersmith & Fulham area.
Describing the experience, she said, “I was shaking. It was amazing and such fun. I was so shot up with nerves as I was going up there and it just all came out and it was brilliant.
"It was a fantastic experience.”
The borough-wide competition saw 480 Year 10 students, aged 14 and 15, originally take part before the finalists met at the White City school.
Natalie won a £100 gift certificate and the chance to go through to the grand final of the “Speak Out” Challenge! due to take place on Monday July 4 2016 at the Piccadilly Theatre.
Among those present was Hammersmith MP Andy Slaughter , who presented the awards.
Second place went to 15-year-old Adenike Adekoya, from Fulham Enterprise Studio with her speech ‘The Game’ and third was Marie Chantel Fofanah, also 15, from the Sacred Heart School with her speech titled ‘The Way’.
The event was delivered by Speakers Trust and funded by the Jack Petchey Foundation .
