WORLD CHAMPION SPEAKER GAGE IS ENGAGING, SMART, FAST, WITTY AND ENTERTAINING
Mark Clairmont | MuskokaTODAY.com
GRAVENHURST — Public speaking is easy. If you’re Anna Gage and you’re doing political studies this fall — in the States.
It helps if you’re the 2024 World Individual Debate and Public Speaking Champion.
Gage was in her element yesterday speaking to Rotarians yesterday, where her grandmother Barb is a past president.
An 18-year-old not all intimidated speaking to a large crowd.
The Grade 12 student, who is graduating from Branksome Hall in Toronto next month, is off to the University of North Carolina Chapel Hill in September with interest in studying public policy.
Talk about baptism by fire. After Thursday’s historic conviction of Donald Trump she will be caught up in the maelstrom of political debate of a divided country — and a divided state.
So when she said the makings of a good speech include historical, personal and political, she checked all the boxes as she described being crowned world champion in Canberra, Australia. Last year she competed for the same prize in Durban, South Africa.
Already a “nerd,” she laughed (though far from it), she said public speaking and debating “opened a world” to her of topics and a skilled hobby she quickly took to after coercion from a teacher. She and becoming adept at arguing her way out of school for tournaments seven or eight a year.
The head of her school’s student government, and secretary-general of Branksome’s Model UN Club, Gage is of course on the debate team executive.
As well she mentors neurodivergent students, is on the rowing team, loves to read fiction and plays piano. Her parents are Laura and Chris Gage, of Toronto.
In her spare time four or five times a week she argues and debates with other students, writing, re-writing and honing her prepared and impromptu speeches.
So she can stand up in front of elders three to four times her age. Entertain and challenge them to define the meaning of “charismatic” (“someone who can affect change through power of persuasion” or “cure” (“create permanency and improvement of a situation”).
Gage is an engaging speaker. Fast, smart, sparkling and intelligent, witty and wonderful to listen to.
She said tournaments are held every couple of months. Those proceed from schools to provincials to nationals and worlds, wher she must impress as many as 50 judges who score her up to 100 points. “They can be very judgmental and subjective — even personal. But hopefully it all balances out” she said.
The four areas of competition are persuasive 7-13 minutes (“boring” she calls them); interpretive 5-11 minutes you prepare; impromptu 3-5 minutes (with only 2 minutes to prepare a subject you draw out of a hat); and an impromptu debate with another student. That includes opening remarks of 6 minutes, a second of 9 minutes and a reply of 3 minutes.
Her advice when speaking is to give a “mini oral essay.” Present your case, define it, defend it and present a solution with a human impact.
Stick with safe topics like health care and avoid controversy.
Now that’s advice she’ll have trouble coming to terms with her first term in the heart of the coming storm.
But when other students challenge her on her Canadian political alternative, you can bet Anna Gage will more than give as good as she gets.
That’s what world champs do.
eMAIL: [email protected]
30 years of TRUSTED ‘Local Online Journalism’
SINCE MAY 20, 1994
Twitter: @muskokatoday, Facebook: mclairmont1
SUBSCRIBE for $30 by e-transferring to [email protected]
Mail cheque to MuskokaTODAY.com Box 34 Gravenhurst, Ont. P1P 1T5
And include your email address to get stories sent to your inbox
