Meet Grand Finalist, Precious Adepoju

We are delighted to share that this has been the biggest year ever for Jack Petchey’s Speak Out Challenge. Up to 35,000 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 2024-2025, 74% 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 7th July and crown the 2025 Speak Out Champion!

In no particular order, meet 2025 Grand Finalist Precious Adepoju! 

Their speech ‘My Version of Black’ earned them and their school, Woolwich Polytechnic School for Girls, first place in the Greenwich Regional Final. 

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

My pink iPad , an aeroplane, and a pilot. I would need entertainment and a way home!

What is your favourite saying or quote?

“I can do all things through Christ who strengthens me” this is a biblical quote (Phillippians 4:13) and I love this quote because I know that through whatever I’m going through, God will always be with me and with him, I can do anything!

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

Chicken and chips, it is one of the best foods in the world and everybody enjoys it! I love eating it and sharing it with my friends.

What three tips would you give to a Year 7 student? 

Be who you are, look after yourself before you look after others, don’t change yourself to fit other people’s opinions

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

I think it’s important because you never know who will hear. Through many speeches, like mine, you could be bringing awareness to a topic you feel strongly about, or you could be addressing certain problems in the world that you would like to change. Through sharing your stories, you are able to reach a wider audience and to educate or inform people about certain topics and you never know how your story could go!

How would you like people to think/act differently after hearing your story?

I want to bring awareness to sickle cell anaemia, I would want people to think I am brave for sharing my story and be touched by it. I would also want to encourage someone in the audience to not be afraid to tell their story as it only makes them stronger!

Best of luck Precious and see you at the Grand Final on July 7th!