Meet Grand Finalist, Inayah Martello

We are delighted to share that this has been the biggest year ever for Jack Petchey’s Speak Out Challenge. Up to 30,000 students have been trained in over 500 schools across all of London and Essex.

Jack Petchey’s Speak Out Challenge provides year 10 students in state schools across London and Essex with public speaking and communication training to increase their confidence, sense of agency and drive to make a difference in society.

During the academic year, over 500 schools have received a free one-day public speaking workshops for their students. The student’s confidence in speaking to an audience, without notes, is measured at the beginning and at the end of the day. During 2022-2023 76% of students have increased their confidence to stand up and talk to a group of people. At the end of the day, every school nominates one student to go on to a Regional or Digital Final, where they compete again other school finalists and their speeches are judged based on content delivery, structure and positive impact by a panel of esteemed judges. After going on to win the semi-finals, our 15 inspirational, articulate, and impressive speakers are now ready to present their speech to you!

We will celebrate the achievements of these awe-inspiring young people in the heart of London’s West End at Cambridge Theatre on Monday 10th July and crown the 2023 “Speak Out” Champion!

In no particular order, meet 2023 Grand Finalist Inayah Martello! 

Their speech ‘To Bleed or Not To Bleed’ earned them and their school, Dunraven School, first place in their Lambeth Regional Final. Inayah teaches us that menstrual cycles are completely normal and we should be talking about them more! 

We asked Inayah, what three items or people would you choose to take to a desert island and why? 

I would take a map to navigate, an axe to chop trees down and make shelter, and a spile to get water from trees if I couldn’t find freshwater.

What is your favourite saying or quote and why?

“If they don’t pay your bills, pay them no mind!” An abridged version of a quote I saw online once. Every time I feel self-conscious, I think about it!

If you could only eat one food for the rest of your life what would it be and why?  

I absolutely love curry goat. It tastes delicious and you can have vegetables in it, if you want, so it’s protein and vegetables. It’s also actually quite healthy!

What three top tips on life would you give a Year Seven student? 

1. Don’t stress about exams, especially this early in your school career, it isn’t worth it. 2. Year Elevens aren’t that scary. Trust me. 3. Every other Year Seven is starting secondary school for the first time! It’s OK to be nervous, but don’t take it out on others!

You could have made a speech anything in the world. Why did you speak about this one subject? 

I’m sick and tired of being told to keep my period quiet because it might “upset the boys.” It has the same amount of sense as telling a girl that her shoulders are distracting the teachers. It’s time for change; people who have periods should be able to talk about it with confidence, not shame.

Why do you think it’s important for young people, like you, to share their stories?

Young people are the future. Our stories help pave the way for the next generation, because while we’re young, our stories can be used to actually improve the quality of life for those after us.

If you could make one change in the world what would it be?

I really want to be able to see people living their lives without being judged for it. We’re all different and when it becomes accepted as a fact, we’ll all be much, much happier.

How could this experience help you further any passions you have?

Honestly, I think speaking about the things that I love has always been awkward, but I’ve spoken about something so personal that it doesn’t really feel that weird, anymore.

And finally, how would you like people to think / act differently from hearing your story?

This has instilled me with so much confidence, it’s unbelievable! In the future, when I want to publish a book or something that requires public speaking, I think that I can definitely look back on this and be able to feel confident in doing it!

Watch Inayah‘s winning speech: