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.
A huge thank you to Hive Young Writers Network – our partner on our long-running Barnsley Young Writers group, Barnsley Town Hall for allowing us to use the Council Chamber, Barnsley Youth Council and Netherwood School for their encouragement and involvement and to Barnsley Council’s Great Childhoods Ambition Fund for supporting the event.
We’re also grateful to everyone who helped promote and share this opportunity across South Yorkshire.
BARNSLEY AWARD WINNER
Tolerance Isn’t a Virtue by 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 by Ilia Nasser
‘An ambitious and provocative speech that confidently questions ideas of destiny and competition’.
Misrepresented by the Movies by Belle Gubbins
‘A clear, passionate and well-argued plea for authentic queer representation on screen’.
SOUTH YORKSHIRE AWARD WINNER
The Art in Living by 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 by 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 by 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’.
COMMENDED (BARNSLEY & SOUTH YROSHIRE [A-Z]:
Universe Manifesto by Amelie Pape
‘An expansive and imaginative meditation on existence. We loved the ‘pound shop telescope’ image’.
In Trump’s Great America by Aliyyah Olaniyan
‘A bold political speech, driven by conviction and a strong rhetorical voice.’
Falling Forward (On Failure) by Jessie Leasley
‘An uplifting reframing of failure full of honesty and energy.’
Hair Today, Gone Tomorrow by Katy Smith
‘An inspiring appeal to how we can give of ourselves when it comes to charity.’
Give Us a Story (crime & media) by Madeline Hall
‘A sharp, questioning and socially aware critique of dominant media narratives.’
Scroll by Malak Gaga
‘A concise and timely reflection on digital distraction.’
Dear Algorithm by Miley Yip
‘A cleverly structured speech exposing the pull of digital culture with wit and bite.’
We Bleed Red (Gender Wars) by Millie Thomas
‘A passionate speech tackling gender division with empathy and emotional force.’
Don’t Do Drugs by Nathan Graham
‘A playful and self-aware speech using humour to subvert expectations.’
AI, Is It Intelligence, Really? by Nox Armour
‘An ambitious and questioning speech challenging the limits of artificial intelligence.’
Sempiternality (on grief) by Quinn Brown
‘A reflective and emotionally intelligent meditation on grief.’
THE TEENS SPEECH SHORTLISTED – BARNSLEY & SHOUTH YORKSHIRE [A-Z]:
The Real Problem by Eliana Holloway
‘A thoughtful narrative exploring faith and doubt with maturity and nuance.’
Sports Should Build Not Break by Ellen Henry
‘A heartfelt call for healthier sporting cultures.’
In Praise of Literature by Georgie Dwyer
‘A celebration of reading and the enduring power of books.’
I Do Not Dwell by Haider Nazir
‘A contemplative and quietly assured reflection on identity and belief.’
Diary of the Silenced by Inioluwa Tubi
‘A powerful poetic voice speaking up for those too often unheard.’
Limitless by Jessie Leasley
‘An energetic and motivational piece bursting with determination.’
Mental Health Matters by Lucy Carter
‘A sincere and informative speech advocating for openness and understanding.’
Resolutions by Maisie Mair
‘A playful and inventive piece brimming with surreal imagery.’
Misrepresenting Myths by Martha Hilton
‘A well-argued case for reclaiming and reinterpreting myth’.
Students – Let Us! by Miley Yip
‘A comic challenge to reform restrictive school rules.’
We’re All Human Made by Molly de Jonquieres
‘A vulnerable and empowering message about individuality and self-worth.’
Mary (and my mother) by Quinn Brown
‘An intimate reflection on family and faith.’
What If We… by Roark King
‘A bold and rhythmic piece built on repetition and possibility.’
Outdated School System by Ruby Waller
‘A clear and persuasive argument for educational reform.’
Veritas Non Tacet by Zak Crisp
‘A principled and confident speech centred on truth and conviction.’
BEST SPOKEN DELIVERY (JUDGED ON THE DAY)
Dear Algorithm by 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
What If We… by Roark King. ‘Bold, poetic and assured’
Limitless by Jessie Leasley. ‘Passionate, personal and powerful’.
BEST SPOKEN DELIVERY AWARD: COMMENDED [A-Z]
Amelie Pape by Universe Manifesto
‘Delivered in delightfully digestible cosmic moments’.
Ellen Henry by Sports Should Build Not Break
‘A confident parliamentary delivery’.
Molly de Jonquieres by We’re All Human Made
‘A defiant stand for individuality and difference’.
Thank you again to every young writer who gave their voice, on the page or via live speech, to make this year’s Teens Speech possible.
The Teens Speech and Barnsley Young Writers is supported by Barnsley Civic and the Great Childhoods Ambition Fund.
