Devine Kapu, a Year 10 student from Bexley Grammar School, was crowned the winner of the regional final of the Jack Petchey’s Speak Out Challenge.
The event took place at St Catherine’s Catholic School on March 19, 2025.
The competition is part of an annual event involving more than 30,000 Year 10 students from over 500 state schools in London and Essex.
It is hosted by the UK’s leading public speaking and communication charity, Speakers Trust, and is funded and supported by the Jack Petchey Foundation.
Devine’s winning speech, titled “Microaggressions,” highlighted the impact of microaggressions on black individuals and urged society to recognise, address, and eliminate these subtle forms of racism.
His passionate delivery impressed the panel of expert judges, including Peta Cubberley, Cynthia Bryan, John Francis, Francesca Crane, and Trudy Kilcullen MBE.
Devine now proceeds to the online semi-finals, where he will compete against 37 other regional champions.
The final 15 will be selected for the grand final, which will take place at the prestigious Cambridge Theatre on July 7.
Devine said: “The Jack Petchey Speak Out Challenge has given me the courage to speak my mind, and I am so glad that I took part.”
The winner receives a £100 gift certificate and is now on track for the grand final of the competition, held at the Cambridge Theatre, Covent Garden.
The runner-up title went to Helens Kiakonda, representing Blackfen School for Girls with a speech titled “Finding my voice; defining my future.”
Third place went to Hillary Adenopo from St Catherine’s Catholic School, with the speech “I’m a Black girl in football: Can I score the goal?”
The winners were congratulated by the Mayor of Bexley, Councillor Sue Gower MBE JP.
At the grand final, Devine could be competing not only for the honour of becoming this year’s Jack Petchey’s Speak Out Challenge Grand Champion but also for the chance to win £5,000 (a £2,000 bursary for himself and £3,000 for his school).
The Jack Petchey’s Speak Out Challenge is an annual event that aims to amplify young voices.
During the training, students are given the skills and the confidence to develop and deliver a competition speech on a topic that is important to them.
Previous winners of the grand final have gone on to sell their businesses for six figures, act in Hollywood and in critically acclaimed projects, and become influencers and public speakers.
