Any ideas for teen DD's speech?

[pizzagal]

On this board for traffic

DD has to participate in a speech competition annually at school. Their speech can be on anything, and is due in tomorrow. DD (15yo) wants todo it on something that will make people think but is at a loss for what to do and must write it today.

Any ideas for topics? TIA.

I needs to be something she knows and understands, rape - what on earth would she talk about! What about on-line bullying?

I'd say the events last night - could be very interesting to discuss - she could talk about terrorism in general - Manchester etc. with an update from last night (so as not to be obvious that she left it to the last minute!).
That said I agree with pp - she won't be passionate about anything she's told to talk about. What is she into? Put a current affairs spin on it. Sporty? Talk about obesity crisis. Musical? Talk about the power of music in joining people for one cause e.g. Band aid and the Manchester concert. Fashion? Beauty? Talk about pressures to look a certain way and judgements on how people look.

How ignorant and patronising to assume a 15 year old doesn't know anything about rape. She is becoming a young woman, I'm sure she is very aware about the threats of sexual assault and of rape culture. Also as Dilkington mentioned, Hollyoaks are running a very relevant storyline at the moment.

She could talk about helicopter parenting?

Girls who miss school because they can't afford sanitary protection?

Given the fact shes had half term, its due tomorrow and she is thinking about statting it now:

*Procrastination
*Effectiveness of Holiday Homework
*Idioms Brought to Life:- A Stitch In Time

NapQueen

But she needs to talk about what rape means to her, she needs her own angle to talk passionately.

I have never been raped.

Last week, I had to go on a work night out in a foreign city. At midnight I was shattered and wanted to go to the hotel. Stayed for "one more drink" and didn't get back until 02:00. I was actually ill the next day because I was so tired.

My colleagues think I just couldn't resist the pull of another drink.

The truth?
I did not want to take a taxi alone in a foreign city and had to wait for my colleagues because as a woman I risk assess for rape EVERY SINGLE DAY.

That is what rape personally meant to me, this week.

What does it mean to your daughter?
Has she ever put a skirt back in Top Shop - too short?
Had a boy call her a name and been too afraid of making a scene to say so? (because I was too scared to tell my colleagues that I didn't want the risk of that taxi)

Keep it simple yet effective. Having a shocking idea won't win the competition.
When your brain is searching, searching and overwhelmed like that, the best thing is to come back to yourself, my daily life, and what affects me...
Something she has experience of. It's a Speech Competition it's not a best ideas/Most controversial idea competition.
If you use something really really emotive like rape. the emotion that will provoke will just become an obstacle and the material will be fairly brutal and upsetting let's face it.
I would suggest she use something like 'Teenagers should be allowed to choose their own bedtimes' or 'Benefits of Computer Gaming'...'Teenagers are disrespected in society' something simple that she and her peers have actual experience of. And then get a very large sheet of paper (old wallpaper) and brainstorm every single thing that comes into your head about it.