Each year the Dryden Rotary Club sponsors a public speaking contest and holds a special Performing Arts Dinner so the community can listen to the best of the year’s Grade 7 or 8 students.
 

 

The event organizers this year were Rotarians Mardi Plomp and Trevor Symon. 
 
We were entertained by three Royal Conservatory of Music students, Grace Robinson, Hannah Stanley, and David Marshall who each shared two piano pieces with us.
 
Jailla Stuart was the first place student in the Public speaking contest telling us about “Why Ontario Secondary School curriculum should include more life skills in the Teacher’s curriculum”. As the first place winner she is awarded the 2014 Ian Nixon Memorial Trophy.
 
Second place finisher Sebastian McKillop talked about “Is It Alive”.
 
Third place Rachel Hart talked about “Screen Time” and how kids spend too much time on their phones and tablets.
 
                       L to R Hannah , David, and Grace with teacher Heather Spoozak
Rachel , Jailla, and Sebastian
Public Speaking contest winners
 
Grace Robinson was awarded the Rena Fotheringham Memorial music award as she had the highest mark in Royal Conservatory exams with a 91. The Rena Fotheringham trophy is new this year to commemorate Rena who passed away during the year.