About 160 junior secondary school students delivered two-minute speeches in English titled "Our Hong Kong" at a language jamboree today.

These students were all participants in the "Speak Up, Speak Out" public-speaking training programme" organised by the English-Speaking Union (Hong Kong) for the "English Festival 2007". They were taught how to capture the audience's attention with a good beginning, to have a strong conclusion and to use transitional techniques. 

Students and teachers from 39 schools have taken part in the training. Selected students from each school then joined in the four regional experience-sharing jamborees today.

Standing Committee on Language Education & Research member and "English Festival 2007" organising committee member Stephen Chan said the jamboree's judging panel was highly impressed with the students' creativity, delivery skills and use of English.

"Despite the fact that some of them are only Secondary One students, they have demonstrated their mastery of the language already," Mr Chan said.

"It shows they have geared up for the English language curriculum under the new senior secondary academic structure."

Details of the "English Festival 2007" are available here.