Teens Speech Award Results 2026
What a wonderful event it was to mark the inaugural Teens Speech on Friday 20th February in the Council Chamber at Barnsley Town Hall. Sitting in the chamber truly felt like being in Parliament. What a powerful space in which to hear such a wide range of moving, passionate and thought-provoking speeches delivered live.
With over 100 entries submitted in just six weeks, the Teens Speech 2026 has been an incredible start to something we hope to build on in future. It was inspiring to witness so many young people standing up to share their voices, ideas and experiences with confidence and care.
Below you’ll find a note from our judges and the award results. Every entry was appreciated and read carefully. Whether you placed or not, thank you to everyone who entered the awards. For simply putting your unique voice out there, we salute you!
A note from our judges…
What struck us immediately when shortlisting from the Teens Speech entries was the breadth of voices, subjects, styles and inventiveness across the speeches. There was poetry, direct address, personal storytelling, lyrical writing, satire, and bold, persuasive arguments.
We read speeches that moved between big questions of faith and philosophy, the pressures of the digital world, how stories shape us through TV and media, and the realities and challenges young people are living with right now.
We loved seeing humour and play alongside the hard-hitting pieces, because speeches can carry messages in all kinds of ways. They can argue, confess, provoke, comfort and make people laugh, sometimes all on the same page.
When judging, we were looking for speeches that were specific, grounded and honest, whether that came through lived experience, sharp observation or a fresh way of seeing a topic. Individual voice and uniqueness were really important too, and we were drawn to pieces that built momentum, used language with control and left us with a clear feeling at the end, whether that was hope, defiance, humour or a changed perspective.
Choosing both the shortlisted pieces and final winners was genuinely difficult because there were so many different kinds of strengths across the writing, and we couldn’t choose everyone. Nevertheless, we’ve reflected this in the number of shortlisted and commended writers we’re acknowledging alongside the winners.
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A huge thank you to Barnsley Civic, our judging team, and Barnsley Town Hall for allowing us to use the Council Chamber. And to Barnsley Youth Council and Netherwood School for their encouragement and involvement. We’re also grateful to everyone who helped promote and share this opportunity across South Yorkshire.
South Yorkshire Award Winner
The Art in Living (Erin Martin-O’Connell)
‘A lyrical and assured meditation on living creatively, rich with imagery and quiet philosophical strength’.
South Yorkshire Award Runners-up (no order)
Dear TV (Maisie Mair)
‘A witty and culturally sharp critique of the stories we consume, full of rapid-fire questions, humour and confident voice’.
We Rise Too (Sakina Haider)
‘A moving and resilient piece that honours young carers with clarity, dignity and strength, with a wonderful build to a collective and hopeful ending’.
Barnsley Winner
Tolerance Isn’t a Virtue (Casey O’Malley)
‘A thoughtful and grounded reflection on tolerance, blending lived experience with sharp and mature social insight’.
Barnsley Award Runners-up (no order)
Suitable Destiny (Ilia Nasser)
‘An ambitious and provocative speech that confidently questions ideas of destiny and competition’.
Misrepresented by the Movies (Belle Gubbins)
‘A clear, passionate and well-argued plea for authentic queer representation on screen’.
Best Spoken Delivery Award
Dear Algorithm (Miley Yip)
‘Effortlessly holding humour and the hard-hitting in the same space, making great use of dramatic pauses and audience engagement’.
Best Spoken Delivery Award Runners-up
Roark King – What If We… ‘Bold, poetic and assured’.
Jessie Leasley – Limitless ‘Passionate, personal and powerful’.
Commended: Best Spoken Delivery [A-Z]
Amelie Pape – Universe Manifesto
‘Delivered in delightfully digestible cosmic moments’.
Ellen Henry – Sports Should Build Not Break
‘A confident parliamentary delivery’.
Molly de Jonquieres – We’re All Human Made
‘A defiant stand for individuality and difference’.
Commended: across South Yorkshire 2026 [A-Z]:
Amelie Pape – Universe Manifesto
‘An expansive and imaginative meditation on existence. We loved the ‘pound shop telescope’ image’.
Aliyyah Olaniyan – In Trump’s Great America
‘A bold political speech, driven by conviction and a strong rhetorical voice.’
Jessie Leasley – Falling Forward (on failure)
‘An uplifting reframing of failure full of honesty and energy.’
Katy Smith – Hair Today, Gone Tomorrow
‘An inspiring appeal to how we can give of ourselves when it comes to charity.’
Madeline Hall – Give Us a Story (crime & media)
‘A sharp, questioning and socially aware critique of dominant media narratives.’
Malak Gaga – Scroll
‘A concise and timely reflection on digital distraction.’
Miley Yip – Dear Algorithm
‘A cleverly structured speech exposing the pull of digital culture with wit and bite.’
Millie Thomas – We Bleed Red (gender wars)
‘A passionate speech tackling gender division with empathy and emotional force.’
Nathan Graham – Don’t Do Drugs
‘A playful and self-aware speech using humour to subvert expectations.’
Nox Armour – AI, Is It Intelligence, Really?
‘An ambitious and questioning speech challenging the limits of artificial intelligence.’
Quinn Brown – Sempiternality (on grief)
‘A reflective and emotionally intelligent meditation on grief.’
Shortlisted across the Teens Speech [A-Z]:
Eliana Holloway – The Real Problem
‘A thoughtful narrative exploring faith and doubt with maturity and nuance.’
Ellen Henry – Sports Should Build Not Break
‘A heartfelt call for healthier sporting cultures.’
Georgie Dwyer – In Praise of Literature
‘A celebration of reading and the enduring power of books.’
Haider Nazir – I Do Not Dwell
‘A contemplative and quietly assured reflection on identity and belief.’
Inioluwa Tubi – Diary of the Silenced
‘A powerful poetic voice speaking up for those too often unheard.’
Jessie Leasley – Limitless
‘An energetic and motivational piece bursting with determination.’
Lucy Carter – Mental Health Matters
‘A sincere and informative speech advocating for openness and understanding.’
Maisie Mair – Resolutions
‘A playful and inventive piece brimming with surreal imagery.’
Martha Hilton – Misrepresenting Myths
‘A well-argued case for reclaiming and reinterpreting myth’.
Miley Yip – Students – Let Us!
‘A comic challenge to reform restrictive school rules.’
Molly de Jonquieres – We’re All Human Made
‘A vulnerable and empowering message about individuality and self-worth.’
Quinn Brown – Mary (and my mother)
‘An intimate reflection on family and faith.’
Roark King – What If We…
‘A bold and rhythmic piece built on repetition and possibility.’
Ruby Waller – Outdated School System
‘A clear and persuasive argument for educational reform.’
Zak Crisp – Veritas Non Tacet
‘A principled and confident speech centred on truth and conviction.’