Loreto college student, Suzanne Duffy, has won first prize at the Catenian Public Speaking competition. Suzanne has written her own account of preparing for the competition below:

"When I was first told about the Catenian Public Speaking Competition I decided that I had nothing to lose by entering. I had competed in similar contests at high school, and the lure of £100 prize money eclipsed any reservations I had about travelling to Stockport on a Sunday. From the list of topics I chose ‘modern technology is killing the art of conversation.’

This offered me plenty of opportunity for rants about emails (which I always seem to forget to send), recorded phone messages (none of the options they offer ever seem to apply to me) and the internet (I only dislike it because I don’t understand it). With the much-appreciated help of Mrs Joseph and Mr McGuinness I composed a speech and practiced it so many times that both me and my unfortunate little brother could recite it backwards.  When we arrived at the competition I was placed third in the speaking order so I had time to rein in my nerves before my name was called and I stood up to speak. Among the other topics the speakers chose were ‘honesty is not now seen as the best policy’ and ‘guns make us powerful’. As the judges pointed out at the end, they were all well executed and watching them only made me feel more uneasy. I have absolutely no memory of the next four minutes in front of the audience, but apparently the judges did as they awarded me first prize. This consisted of a huge shield, £100 to the college and the aforementioned £100 to me which, I am sure, is now very happy in its new home in the tills of Topshop. The public speaking competition was a useful experience which has helped me gain confidence and which I enjoyed more than I would have expected. The Catenian Association has promised to contact me and the runner up about the national final held in September, which I am looking forward to"