15 YOUNG people spoke from their hearts and expressed a wide range of opinions on a variety of subjects as they battled it out for the title of being Jack Petchey Speak Out champion for the Thurrock and Castle Point region.

The event took place at Gable Hall School, Corringham, where the young people from schools across south Essex took to the stage in front of a live audience and panel of judges to express their thoughts on a subject of their choice in a speech lasting up to three minutes. The speakers and the audience were welcomed to the school in a speech by Gable Hall's head, Ceri Evans.

The winner was Simisola Smith from Castle View School who spoke about the challenges and advantages of growing up as a black person in the UK. In her speech, she said: "Most importantly growing up black in the UK is belonging. Belonging to a community where we can all confide in each other."

You can watch Simisola's winning speech via this link.

After the results were announced Simisola, who scooped the top prize of a £100 gift certificate and a place in the regional semi-final and the chance to go through to the grand final of the competition to be held in London's West End later this year, said: "I'm thankful for the experience. And it's given me a taste of what I can achieve in the real world."

Gable Hall head Ceri Evans welcomes competitors and the audience.

Runner-up was Simisola Oyewole from the Harris Academy in Ockendon with her speech "My Culture and I" and third place went to Paige Laybourn-Morris from William Edwards School with a speech entitled "Cheese".

The judging panel at the event included students Thomas and Bella representing The Young Essex Assembly (YEA), Lt Cdr Robert James of Thurrock Sea Cadets, Sel Sanger, a youth work team Leader, Joshua La-Page, a schools youth worker with a community church, Zoe Dineen a young carers key worker with Essex County Council, Neil Speight, regional editor of Thurrock Nub News and Richard Bonsu, a community builder, with Thurrock Community and Voluntary Services (Thurrock CVS). At the end of the evening the awards were presented by Thurrock mayor, Cllr Sue Shinnick.

This year more than 20,000 Year 10 students (14-15 year olds) in more than 500 state schools in London and Essex will take part in Jack Petchey's "Speak Out" Challenge!. Each one of these students receives an all-day public speaking workshop from the UK's leading public speaking and communication's charity, Speakers Trust. The programme is funded and supported by the Jack Petchey Foundation. A speech contest is held at the end of the one-day course and each school selects a speaker to go through to the regional final.

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. The aim of the training and competition is to amplify young voices.

Having won the Digital Final, Simisola Smith qualifies for the Semi Final and therefore a chance to represent Thurrock & Castle Point at the Grand Final held later in the year. At the Grand Final she could be competing not only for the honour of becoming this year's "Speak Out" Challenge! Champion but also for the chance to win £5,000 (a £2,000 bursary for herself and £3,000 for her school.)

The other speakers in the competition at Gable Hall were Freya Barnard (Ortu Gable Hall), Ann-Maria Edodzi-Dakpo (Grays Convent), Varshini Vakeesan (The King John School), Holly Cuzner (St Clere's), Samantha Johnson (Cornelius Vermuyden Schoo), Ifeanyi Ashibuogwu (St Clere's), Louis Holland (Ortu Gable Hall), Bathan Aluko (Harris Academy Ockendon), Emily Nugent (Castle View School), Jemma Hlomuka (The King John School), Michelle Addo-Tenkorang (Grays Convent) and Holly Chubb (Ortu Gable Hall).

You can view a gallery of pictures from the event via this link.