I enjoyed a special evening witnessing the talented young people in the Rotary Club of Douglas’ public speaking competition for junior schools at St John’s Primary School last Monday.

The competition has been held by the club in conjunction with the schools for 60 years now, but I have to say, before I became a Rotarian several years ago, I wasn’t aware of it.

One thing is for certain: I would not have had the confidence to stand in front of a packed school hall when I was at Murray’s Road Junior School to make a presentation.

The nearest I ever got to this type of event was in the school choir at the Guild, where it’s a little easier to blend into the background whilst ‘enjoying’ the experience and smiling.

I have to admit it has been a long time since I last visited St John’s School, but it certainly feels like a happy place where the next generation is inspired by the teachers under head Tracy Willoughby, who was our host for the evening.

Eager anticipation filled the school hall with the young people who had spent so much time working on their presentations, proud parents, head teachers, and others from the schools represented.

The official welcome was delivered in good style by two former pupils who now attend QEII School in Peel, Max James and Charlie Watterson.

The evening was then introduced by Andrew Swithinbank of the Rotary Club before the first team took to the stage.

St. John’s School team was chaired by Joey Bradbury, with Winter Heath as the speaker and Daisy Mae Moore giving the vote of thanks. Their subject was ‘Social Media’ – clearly a topical issue, which was well delivered.

The second team, representing Arbory School, was chaired by Eva Ramsey, with Tatum Erasmus as the speaker and Eleanor Harrison giving the vote of thanks.

Their subject was ‘If I Were Headteacher for a Day’ – with a number of current head teachers in the room, I wonder if they will take on board any of the suggestions!

Third up, from Marown School, the speaker was Daniella Crone, with Emily Lowe as chair and Beatrice Christian giving the vote of thanks.

Their subject was ‘Primary Schools of the Future’ – presenting an exciting vision of things to come (maybe!).

The next team to address the audience represented Scooil Vallajeelt, speaking on the subject of ‘The Impact of Social Media on Our Society’.

All aspects were discussed in depth by team members Ishaan Mishra, Harrison Stewart, and Ruby Corkish. Ishaan was recognised and awarded the Mayor of Douglas Prize by Natalie Byron-Teare.

The fifth team, representing Laxey School, was chaired by Teige Higgins-Faragher, with Dylan Purdy as the speaker and James Clarke giving the vote of thanks.

Their subject was ‘Climate Change’ – including some important considerations for everyone.

Dhoon School was sixth to take to the stage, chaired by Holly Beattie, with Ava Johnstone as the speaker and Abigail Hughes giving the vote of thanks.

Their topic was ‘Should the Isle of Man Have Its Own Olympics Team?’ – we certainly ‘punch above our weight’ in sport.

The next team, representing Rushen School, featured speaker Elana Watterson, chair Elissa Lenaghan, and vote of thanks by Chayton Stuber. They presented an interesting concept: ‘If I Were Chief Minister’ – who knows what the future holds?

The final team to take to the stage was from Willaston School, with Parker Kissack as chair, Charlotte Smith as speaker, and Marco Ciccone giving the vote of thanks. Their subject was ‘What Does a School Have to Do to Be at the Heart of Its Community?’

With sincere thanks to the team, I share a small part of their presentation here.

After a confident and amusing introduction, entirely without notes, from Parker, Charlotte spoke: ‘A school isn’t just a place where we go to learn about fractions, volcanoes, and Shakespeare.

‘It’s much more than that. A school can be the heart of its community… a place that brings people together, helps children grow into their best selves, and makes sure no one is left behind.

‘But how does a school do that?

‘How does it make sure it’s not just another building, but a real part of people’s lives?

‘Well, I think there are three really important things that make a school the heart of its community:

‘If a school can do all three of these things, it will never just be a school… it will be a place that truly matters.

‘Teachers, pupils, parents, and even visitors all play a role in making a school feel like home.

‘But now let’s think about the world changing really fast – technology, AI, robots, and computers that can do some of the jobs that people do.

‘But can AI replace people in a school? Some might say yes, but there’s one thing AI will never be able to do.

‘It can’t care about us like a real person can. It can’t encourage us when we’re struggling. It can’t celebrate with us when we succeed.

‘It can’t make us laugh when we are feeling down. School isn’t just about learning facts, it’s about learning how to be kind, how to work together, how to solve problems, and how to care about others.

‘A school at the heart of a community puts people first. But that doesn’t mean schools should stay the same forever; otherwise, we would still be writing on chalkboards and learning by candlelight.

‘A great school will embrace change, try new ideas, find better ways to teach, and improve the curriculum.

‘Think how much the world has changed in the last 20 years – in the past, no smartphones, no social media, no video calls.

‘Imagine trying to explain TikTok or YouTube to someone from the 1990s!

‘A school’s history, events, and celebrations make it unique.

‘This year, at Willaston School, we are celebrating its 70th anniversary – that’s 70 years of pupils walking through its doors, 70 years of friendships, 70 years of teachers helping children reach their potential.

‘Some of the parents and even grandparents of children at our school were once pupils here themselves; they sat in Willaston’s classrooms and played in Willaston’s playground.

‘So, tradition is important because it connects us.

‘So, what does a school need to do to be at the heart of a community? It must put people first, it must embrace change, and it must respect traditions.

‘A school that can do all these things will never just be a building with classrooms. It will be a place that brings people together, where children feel safe, encouraged, and inspired – a place where the whole community can be proud.’

Marco, in his vote of thanks, added: ‘As we reflect on this talk, let’s remember that schools aren’t just here to teach us facts, they are here to prepare us for the future while respecting the past.

‘If we can balance people, progress, and tradition, our school will always be at the heart of the community.’

The judges, Anne Clarke, Roz Dargan, and Jane Falconer, had a most difficult task, but eventually, Willaston School finished in first place, St. John’s in second and Arbory in third.

The talent shown must make us very proud of the next generation.

A special thought for me was that, for part of the 70 years of Willaston School, my Uncle Ron was headteacher and he was fondly thought of by the young people.