But Chevalier College student Joshua Culleton has proved to be a natural.

Josh finished in fourth place for the Year 7-8 category in the Catholic Schools Public Speaking competition.

The Catholic Schools Debating Association runs the Catholic Schools Public Speaking competition, held in Term 1 each year.

Entry is open to students from Years 7 –12 from any Catholic school in NSW.

For the first time in 2017 a team of 12 students from Chevalier College entered the competition, coached by Assistant Principal for Learning and Teaching Chris Bounds.

The competition ran over three rounds, with the best students to compete in the finals- round three.

Topics varied in each round and in any given year about 1000 people, including student participants, volunteer adjudicators and debating teachers are involved in the competition.

Hannah Hill, Ava O’Brien, Victoria James and Josh Culleton all made it through round one to qualify for the zone final (round two) which was held at Aquinas College at Menai on March 10.

Josh finished the night as winner in the Year 7-8 category to secure a place in the final.

He then took part in the final held at Marist College North Shore on March 17. 

Josh came away with fourth place which was an excellent result for a Year 7 student in his first Sydney-wide competition.

Mr Bounds said all students did well in the competition.

“All the students were encouraged by the great positive feedback they received from some of the other student competitors during the rounds,” he said.

“Two school principals in the audience complimented our students on their presentation and their behaviour. It was a great experience for everyone involved and we have all learnt a lot in our first year at these public speaking events.”