Meet Grand Finalist, Sydney-Lily Mason

We are delighted to share that this has been the biggest year ever for Jack Petchey’s Speak Out Challenge. Up to 40,000 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 2023-2024, 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 8th July and crown the 2024 Speak Out Champion!

In no particular order, meet 2024 Grand Finalist Sydney-Lily Mason! 

Their speech ‘Embracing the Silence of my Superpower’ earned them and their school, Southchurch High School, first place in their Southend & Rochford Forest Regional Final. 

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

I would take my Mum Dad and Sister, as they are the ones that will help me get through the struggles of being on an island.

What is your favourite saying or quote and why?

“Everything in life happens for a reason” I like this quote because it helps me get through sad times in life and I believe that if anything bad happens in life there is always a positive on the other side.

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

Potatoes – As you can have chips, roast potatoes and jacket potato!

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

This was a subject I found hard to talk about myself and this is really the first time that I am so I want others to know it’s okay and to embrace their disabilities.

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

To make people support and believe in each other more.

Outside of delivering a speech, how do you think this experience could be helpful now or in the future?

It’s given me the confidence to speak to a crowd of people, that could be used one day in an interview or many other things.

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

I would like others to believe any disability is okay and not something to be embarrassed of as you should be able to talk about it and not feel like you are getting made fun of.

Best of Luck Sydney-Lily and see you at the Grand Final on July 8th!