LJ Blances, a Year 10 student from Queens Park Community School, was crowned the winner of the regional final of the Jack Petchey Speak Out Challenge on January 23.
LJ won the event, held at Kingsbury High School, with her speech HeForShe not just SheForShe.
The Speak Out Challenge is the UK’s largest youth public speaking event, with more than 30,000 Year 10 students from over 500 state schools in London and Essex taking part.
It is hosted by the Speakers Trust and supported by the Jack Petchey Foundation.
LJ’s speech impressed the judges, including Hana Abdi, Martina Jean-Jacques, Pedram Abasi, Catherine Gladwell, and Shaun Daniel Carl Flores.
LJ said: “It was a really fun experience.
“It’s great to win but it’s definitely been more about the process than the actual winning.”
LJ will now progress to the online semi-finals to compete against 37 other regional champions.
The final 15 will be selected for the grand final, which will take place at the Cambridge Theatre on July 7.
The winner of the grand final will receive a £5,000 prize, with £2,000 going to the student and £3,000 to their school.
The runner-up title in the regional final went to Mujtaba Rizvi from Claremont High School, with a speech called The Importance of Discipline.
Third place went to Marisha Casy from Alperton Community School, with a her speech, Your Potential.
The speakers were congratulated by the Deputy Mayor of Brent, Cllr Ryan Hack, who said: “I first got involved in Jack Petchey Foundation a decade ago and know first hand how it changes our people’s lives.
“Well done to all the winners and I look forward to seeing them transform Brent and beyond.
“They are our future.”
Previous winners of the grand final have gone on to sell their businesses for six figures, act in Hollywood, and become influencers and public speakers.
