Good Samaritan Oratory Team Shines at CSDA Public Speaking Competition

“Words do two major things: they provide food for the mind and create light for understanding and awareness.” Jim Rohn.

This term has been a very successful one for the Good Samaritan Oratory Team. We are extremely proud of the students who participated in the CSDA Public Speaking Competition. In Round 1 held at Freeman Catholic College, we had 6 students from each year group in Yr 7-12 successfully progress to Round 2, The Qualifying Final stage of the competition at Emmaus Catholic College.

Congratulations to the following 6 students on their incredible achievements!!

Yr 7: Maryan Narsan

Yr 8: Jasmine Kamal

Yr 9: Grace Bakhos

Yr 10: Isabella Wishalim

Senior: Marybelle Haj Moussa (who stepped up from Yr 10 to compete in the Yr 11 division)

Senior: Sanjna Sristi

After a very competitive Qualifying Final, Isabella Wishalim from Yr 10 who made it through to the very prestigious CSDA Grand Final at Marist Catholic College, North Shore where she delivered an outstanding, intelligent, humble and insightful speech on the topic ‘Who is Worthy?’. Isabella spoke with passion and humility whilst delivering important messages that resonated with the audience about how one’s worthiness is not only tied to individuals with status, wealth, fame or material accumulation. Through effective examples, she reiterated that our worthiness is often more esteemed when we navigate life’s goals and adversity with an amiable character, determination, humility, hard work and a genuine appreciation of life’s trials and tribulations. Congratulations to Isabella for her triumphant oratory success achieving 1st place in the Yr 10 Division for the CSDA Public Speaking Competition!! The Good Samaritan Community is incredibly proud of Isabella’s amazing and well-deserved achievement!

Thank you to our Yr 12 Student Oratory Leaders Sanjna Sristi and Crystal Raheem for their support of Public Speaking this term. Your guidance and time you have given to the students from Yr 11-7 has been absolutely incredible.

Many thanks to Mrs Marion Vannan and Mrs Brittanie Uno for helping out and supporting myself and the students with tryouts and student meetings throughout the term. Thank you very much to Mr Grana, Mr Vannan and Ms Ltaif for your support and attendance at the Public Speaking Competition evenings.

We look forward to another successful year of Public Speaking in 2026.

Alison Marsden

Teacher Leader of Public Speaking