Melhuish Competitions Nurture Academic and Real-World Excellence

24 January 2024Christian M, Privett ‘26

In athletics, there are various times during the year when Brentwood gathers collectively to witness an event, such as the Brentwood Regatta and various athletic Showcases – like next Saturday’s Hockey Showcase.

This is the same with arts. The works in the Arts building are refreshed several times a year for the school to appreciate, and there are concerts, a play and a musical. Unlike the aforementioned athletics and arts, academics are the odd person out of Brentwood’s tripartite program boasting fewer big events.

Thus, the English Department’s Mehuish Public Speaking contests are imperative to academics at Brentwood. Nana L, Hope ‘26 says “I think Brentwood does a really good job of putting academics into a healthy competition. If Brentwood did something else, such as something like Mathletes, it wouldn’t be nearly as enjoyable to watch as the Melhuish competitions”.

Named after Brentwood’s beloved former teacher and Houseparent Mrs Beth Melhuish, Brentwood’s Melhuish competitions have single-handedly represented not only much of the English department but also academics overall. Showcased during next week’s Thursday assembly, a persuasive speech in response to the prompt “A Better Way” not only highlights the students’ diverse presentation skills but also their ability to persuade the audience with their words – and the countless hours in preparation for the competition. This fosters healthy competition between students which allows each of us to learn and grow from this experience. Anna S, Hope ‘26 says “Although my public speaking skills aren’t the greatest, I think that by the end of the year, they will greatly improve because the Melhuish competitions are giving me the opportunity to practice”.

In addition to those benefits, the Melhuish II competition also helps cultivate students’ critical thinking and social skills. In Mr Collis Handford’s Grade 10 English class, students are expected to create a paragraph using logos which forces students to analyze and synthesize information and also articulate their reasoning. In another paragraph, we were tasked with using pathos to persuade our audience in ways ranging from making the audience feel elated to melancholic. These skills are extremely beneficial and important to real-world scenarios as they not only teach students to convey information but also use logos, pathos and ethos to their advantage.

The Melhuish Public Speaking competitions at Brentwood do not solely exist for the purpose of showcasing students’ diverse talents but also to allow us to have opportunities to learn and grow from our experiences. Ms Wolinsky, Privett Assistant Houseparent, states “I think Melhuish is definitely very cool. There’s something to be said when the whole school is involved in the same thing at the same time ranging all the way from the Grade 8s to the Grade 12s”.

That is a better way!

Christian M, Privett ‘26

Where Students Choose To Be