National stage for Sheyi (From The Northern Echo)

National stage for Sheyi

12:38pm Wednesday 1st February 2012 in Durham City News By Mark Tallentire

A DURHAM schoolgirl has reached the national final of a prestigious debating contest.

Sheyi Alamou, from Durham High School for Girls, will compete in the national finals of The Great Debate competition, organised by the Historical Association, at Merton College, Oxford, on Saturday, March 10.

She qualified by winning a North-East heat held at the high school on Tuesday, January 24.

Contestants were challenged to deliver a five-minute speech on the topic: ‘Why does history matter to you?’ They were required to base their speech around a person, object, event or place of historical significance.

Five high school girls competed: Holly Pikesley, who spoke about Martin Luther King; Maura McKeon, who spoke about Thomas Paine; Saba Mahmood, speaking about Elizabeth Blackwell; Yasha Choudhary, speaking about Dr Harold Ellis; and Sheyi, who talked on Nelson Mandela.

The judging panel included Professor Gordon Batho, president of the Historical Association’s Durham branch.

All entrants were congratulated on the high standard of their speeches and were given detailed feedback.