Welcome to the Spring 2010 edition of Jack Petchey’s “Speak Out” Challenge! newsletter.

Information on this, plus lots more below. If you would like us to cover other aspects of public speaking in general or the “Speak Out” Challenge! in particular then please email us at newsletter@speakoutchallenge.com

Jack Petchey’s “Speak Out” Challenge! 2011 - We are delighted to announce that funding from the Jack Petchey Foundation has been confirmed for the sixth consecutive year. The launch of the Challenge! 2011 will be hosted by Mr Speaker in the State Rooms of Speaker’s House on 19th October 2010, with representatives present from both the Jack Petchey Foundation and SpeakersBank, plus some of the Finalists from the 2010 Grand Final.

Gala Grand Final 9th July 2010 - Preparations are now well under way for our Grand Final on Friday 9th July to be held at the Mermaid Theatre in London. The judging panel this year includes Lord Speaker Baroness Hayman who has been confirmed as Head Judge, Canon Ann Easter, Jeremy Stockwell from the BBC’s “The Speaker” and BBC Newsreader Kasia Madera. They will be joined by other representatives from the world of business and media. Places are going quickly so if you’d like to reserve a ticket please click on the following link and complete your details: http://www.speakoutchallenge.com/pages/reserveticket

NOMINATED Teachers and Students - We will again be asking our trainers for their nominations for teachers who have added tremendous value to the “Speak Out” Challenge! this year. One of the nominated teachers will receive a £200 cheque at the Grand Final in July 2010. We are also looking for teachers to nominate students who they feel have done something special since they attended the workshop or final. Just fill in the details and send back to us http://www.speakoutchallenge.com/pages/nominateastudent OR if you are a student and have done something special with your skills, email us at newsletter@speakoutchallenge.com with details.

FREE iPODS - PRIZES - Don’t forget there are iPods to be won every month on the “Speak Out” Challenge! website ". http://www.speakoutchallenge.com/pages/challenges. Recent winners include James Kimberley from St Ignatius College, Enfield, Georgina Holiday from Colchester County High School, Deborah Mobaolorunduro from Beaverwood School for Girls in Bromley and Giacomo Carmello from Richard Challoner School in Kingston. Each has won an 8GB iPod Nano! Go to the website now for your chance to win.

NUMBERS TRAINED EXCEED 60,000 - 60,763 students have now benefitted from the Jack Petchey “Speak Out” Challenge! workshop and those students have spoken out in front of an audience of 245,944. Impressive numbers, I’m sure you’ll agree! And with funding confirmed for next year those figures will continue to rise.

REGIONAL FINALS - The North and West London have already been completed and our panel of experienced trainers have started to view videos to pick the final 18 who will speak at the Grand Final in July and compete for the £5000 first prize. The top three videos from all the finals will be on the website (great resource material for both students and teachers.) All of the winners` videos are online at http://www.speakoutchallenge.com/pages/techersvideofeedback#anchora

SPEAKOUT CHALLENGE IN THE PRESS - The local London press have been busy reporting on the great work of the Jack Petchey "Speak Out" Challenge! You may not know it, but we usually have reporters present at the regional finals and they love telling Londoners just how great the evening has been. Follow this link to read all about it: http://www.speakoutchallenge.com/pages/presscoverage

GOT SOMETHING YOU WANT TO CAMPAIGN ABOUT? CHANNEL 4 WANTS YOU! - Channel 4 and Raw TV are looking for potential campaigners to take part in an exciting, award winning multi-platform web and television project called Battlefront 2. Last year Battlefront followed 20 inspirational campaigners between the ages of 15-21. Their campaigns were hard-hitting and diverse - from fighting knife crime; to raising awareness about suicide amongst young people, to starting the very first National Youth Orchestra of Iraq. If you're interested in standing up for what you believe in and think you could be an excellent campaigner, please visit http://battlefront.co.uk/get-involved/ where you can submit your campaign ideas.

QUOTES OF THE MONTH - Here are our favourite quotes from the last few months:

§ Student quote: Yael - "I did the workshop and it was so much fun! I would recommend this to anyone and everyone- especially those who are normally shy. It really helps you, and it’s the best day I’ve ever had at school! including trips!!! I wish I could have another workshop.”

§ Teacher quote: Anita Smith - : "A really full day, with all the students given the chance to participate fully. I was SO pleased to see our students gron in confidence as the day progressed. A really valuable experience."

§ VIP quote: Peter Middleton, Managing Director, Success TV - “What a great evening, so much talent, so much enthusiasm, so much support for the speakers. This was a truly inspirational event and a real showcase for everything that’s great with today’s teenagers!”

§ Famous quote: Martin Luther King - “Our lives begin to end the day we become silent about things that matter.”

Thanks for your time and remember, as we always say, “If you want to make a difference you have to “Speak Out”.

Best wishes,

Julie Holness