Lectern Club: To Find a Truth Which is True For Me
On Monday the 27th of February, a group of Sixth Form pupils joined the Master and Mrs Stevens at the Lodge for Lectern Club. Pupils and staff alike enjoyed an evening at which Sixth Form pupils delivered speeches on the prompt ‘To Find a Truth Which is True For Me’.
The evening commenced with the short speeches. Sophia delivered a speech titled ‘The Unity of Conscience and Action’, in which she explored the meaning of conscience and how one should act in accordance with said conscience. Sophia had the judges in awe with how fluently she delivered the speech, and the concepts she explored were thought-provoking and intriguing.
Next, Brandon delivered his speech ‘Live Your Life Following Your Truths’. His speech revolved around comparisons between universal truths and relative truths, and the importance of abiding by one’s truths in order to live a fulfilling life. Brandon engaged the audience with his individual delivery, his touches of humour and the personalised nature of his speech.
Elisa was the last speaker for the short speech category. Her speech was titled ‘Rewritten Truths’, and she addressed the societal pressures to be certain on what one believes. She argued that instead of conforming and arbitrarily declaring a ‘true truth’ for oneself, one must be willing to rewrite one’s own truths. Elisa did not exhibit even the slightest hint of nervousness, and appeared a natural behind the lectern.
After a delicious main course, the first of the long speeches was Chen’s speech, titled ‘The Search Within’. Chen explained how truth is not objective but is in fact about self-discovery and acceptance. He emphasised the importance of self-reflection, introspection, and exploring different values and beliefs in order to foster self growth.
The next speech was delivered by Jasiel, and was called ‘Finding Me-Mo’. She described her journey from Singapore to Malaysia and how that acted as an impetus for her self-discovery. Jasiel performed her speech theatrically – having her audience engaged for the entire duration of her speech. Jasiel’s use of the recurring motif of the ocean was particularly well-crafted, and her speech as a whole was thoroughly enjoyable.
The last of the long speeches was Alex’s speech, ‘Leap of Faith’. Alex delivered an insightful exploration of Søren Kierkegaard’s philosophy, emphasising points about how trusting in his community allowed him to take his leap of faith, and how it is important to take risks. Alex’s speech was thoughtful, yet relaxed and honest, which made his speech captivating.
After a lengthy discussion between the Master, Mrs Stevens and the two guest judges (Sora and Zeynep), feedback was given to the speakers and the winners were announced as Brandon and Jasiel. Congratulations to both of these speakers. This was a wonderful evening that showcased the many hours of hard work spent by the speakers. It was clear that each speaker learned from this experience, and all did a superb job at delivering engaging, original and compelling speeches.
Written by Sora and Zeynep, Guest Judges
