SIXTEEN-YEAR-OLD Nathania Ewruje from Stockton has won a national award for public speaking.

The Stockton Sixth Form College student was awarded the English-Speaking Union’s (ESU) Winston Churchill Cup for public speaking after impressing judges at the competition’s national final.

The first year student got the better of eight other finalists from across the country in a speech delivered in front of a panel of judges at the Churchill War Rooms in London.

Finalists were asked to speak on a Winston Churchill quote from 1953 after he was awarded the Nobel Prize for literature; “The power of Man has grown in every sphere, except over himself.”

Nathania talked about society’s race for power versus individual self-control; discussing modern-day examples including the London riots in a six-minute speech.

Jane Easton, director-general of the ESU, said: “Nathania gave a speech which was not only technically excellent, but had an exceptional level of engagement with the audience and a natural connection with great warmth and humour.’

Joanna Bailey, principal of Stockton Sixth Form College, said: “We are all exceptionally proud of Nathania’s outstanding achievement and thrilled her fantastic talent has been recognised at a national level.”

She was part of a team from Red House School which represented the North-East at the national finals at Cambridge University earlier in the year.

Mr Alex Taylor, headmaster at Red House School, said: “We have no doubt that Nathania will go on to achieve great things in the future and we wish her all the very best.”