ETHAN BOUSOULA from Enfield Grammar School was recently crowned the winner of Jack Petchey’s Speak Out Challenge.

Ethan captured the hearts and minds of the audience with his speech titled ‘It Doesn’t Get Better.’ In it, he outlined the homophobia he experienced when revealing his sexuality and the valuable lessons he learned about himself along the way to becoming a better person. 

Jack Petchey’s Speak Out Challenge, the world’s largest public speaking competition for young people, is run in partnership with Speakers Trust. This year alone over 30,000 Year 10 students in London and Essex state schools took part. This year also saw the programme surpass the milestone of training oracy skills to 250,000 young people since its inception.

The humorous imitations and positive message of personal growth that Ethan brought to his speech sent the audience and judges into rapturous applause. When discussing how when he first opened up about his sexuality he received hateful comments, he said: “I turned to the internet for advice and would always hear the same thing: ‘it gets better’. The truth is it never did get better. I got better… I couldn’t help ‘it’, but what I could help was myself and the way I chose to value myself.”

The Grand Final judging panel who declared Ethan the winner was an esteemed group. It included a member of the House of Lords, a CBE, a TV presenter, an actor, Olympic athlete, a writer, and a previous Jack Petchey’s Speak Out Challenge champion, all of whom actively use their voice to engender change. The panel included:

Baroness Doreen Lawrence, the head judge who is founder of the Stephen Lawrence Charitable Trust and Member of the House of Lords; Michael Akinyemi, the winner of Jack Petchey’s Speak Out Challenge in 2022; Peter Bennett-Jones, a producer and agent awarded a CBE in 2014 for his services to the entertainment industry; Zephryn Taitte, a stage and television actor; Cecilia Knapp, the Young People’s Laureate for London in 2020/2021; Tom Bosworth, a two-time British Olympian and advocate for LGBT equality in sport; and Alex Beresford, a TV presenter and spokesperson against knife crime.

Ethan will receive £2,000 for himself and £3,000 for his school, Enfield Grammar School, to be spent on a project of his choice.

Before giving his speech, Ethan explained why he chose to speak out about this topic: “Because giving other people control of your own self-worth and happiness is the biggest mistake you could make.”

After being crowned Grand Champion, Ethan said: “It feels right, honestly, I could visualise this moment happening.  I’m so thankful to everyone who has given me the opportunity to speak out at the Cambridge Theatre!”

The runner-up position went to Zayd Ahmed of Little Ilford School, Newham. Zayd spoke about the ongoing refugee crisis, asking for compassion and a time of change. On why he chose this topic, he said: “I think it’s a duty to speak out for the people who do not have a voice or a platform.”

Third place was taken by Kairo Reynolds (above) of Dormers Wells High School, Ealing. Kairo’s speech focused on knife crime and the need for more youth clubs. On why he choose to discuss this topic, he said: “If young people had the opportunity to go to youth clubs to keep them off the street it would benefit them in the long run.”

Baroness Doreen Lawrence said: “We all have something to give to the world and using your voice to relay that is extremely important.”