Gary's views

Gary's weekly views

Each week an article by Gary has appeared in the Plympton Plymstock and Ivybridge News in South West Devon. The articles are published here

YOUNG TALENT

On Saturday morning I spent three hours at the hotel at West Hoe (formerly the Mayflower Post, then the Holiday Inn) now apparently known as the Quality Hotel. It may have changed hands regularly but it still boasts an amazing view of the Plymouth Waterfront, one of the best sights in Europe.

I was privileged to be one of the judges at a debating competition organised by the Rotary Club, called Youth Speaks, and I heard eight teams of teenagers from all over the region strut their stuff.
I came away feeling very positive about the next generation. They often get a hard press; they sometimes deserve it; we all often pull our hair out at the worst of modern culture.

But we should not doubt the creativity, confidence and sheer talent that is poised to burst onto the scene. They debated the injustice of holding detainees at Guantanamo Bay for so long without trial; they poked fun at Reality TV; they railed at the pace of modern life, they addressed the thorny issue of family breakdown. They made us laugh, they moved us almost to tears; they informed us, they impressed us.

They came from all different backgrounds and types of school. Perhaps you could spot the public schools, more polished, smarter uniforms; but they did not have a monopoly on imagination or talent, far from it.

I enjoyed the fact that so many parents were there egging on their youngsters. I could imagine the hormone charged atmospheres in those homes in the days leading up to the competition, the endless rehearsals, the tears and the hugs. But the parents were there, showing their support in person. Warts and all, is there anything remotely as important as family?

I was impressed at the way that schools had prepared their pupils and supported this off-curriculum competition, underlining also the difference that so many hard working teachers make.

In the end we backed a team that did not perhaps have a standout advocate as some teams did. But they were obviously a real team; their ideas clearly came from them and were the most original by far. I wish them well in the national finals.

posted by Nigel on Saturday, April 02, 2005