The annual John McGlashan College Year 7–8 Prepared Reading competition showcased exceptional literary talent and courage.
Words by Tomide A, Year 9 Student
Students chose their own novels and selected a compelling extract to perform. Following classroom assessments, the top 3 readers from each class were selected to represent their peers with pride at the finals.
By practicing for hours, the stage was set for 12 finalists to showcase their skills in the following order:
Micah M (8RMI), who read Harry Potter and the Philosopher’s Stone
Ben O (7LMA), who read Kick
Meo M (7DBE), who read Kensuke’s Kingdom
Ted D (8RMI), who read Alex Rider: Stormbreaker
Tūhiku S (8LWI), who read Whale Rider
Liam M (8LWI), who read Hunger Games
Eric S (7DBE), who read Kick
Ben T (8RMI), who read Scythe
Harry H (7LMA), who read Kensuke’s Kingdom
Christopher J (7LMA), who read Harry Potter and the Chamber of Secrets
Gethin C (7DBE), who read Kensuke’s Kingdom
Andrew S (8LWI), who read Percy Jackson and the Olympians
This year, form teachers weren’t in control of the marks, to keep the competition strictly objective and to remove all classroom biases.
Judging finals was a task belonging to the capable hands of Mrs. Gardiner (head librarian), Ms. Hunt (arts coordinator), and Harper Milne (former student).
Spanning over two full periods, the finals highlighted the immense effort the boys put into their readings, with 8 out of 12 readers performing their pieces from memory!
The competition was fierce, which was why tongue twisters that Mr. Beazley challenged the audience to say, like “Mrs. Smith’s fish sauce shop,” were appreciated by some of the finalists, including Ben T.
“The competition was very nerve-wracking, but Mr. Beazley made it a bit more fun.”
Inevitably, only a few could claim the top spots. The standard was so high that the judges had to calculate down to the decimal points to separate the place getters.
Ultimately, the results were as follows:
1st place: Eric S
2nd place: Tūhiku S
3rd place (tie): Meo M and Gethin C
Prepared Reading did not disappoint this year, with a massive upset from the Year 7s, though the finalists are already thinking forward.
Eric S, Andrew S, and Liam M are considering different types of books to select extracts from for their next stage appearances.
Meanwhile Tūhiku S, Ben O, and Ted D are planning on practicising more going forward to have full mastery over their actions, vocal range, and posture.
Overall, it was a memorable event that wouldn’t have been made possible without the support from Mrs. Matheson, Mr. Beazley, Mrs. Wilson, and Mr. Milne.
With the Prepared Speech competition coming in Term 3, anything could happen!
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