A TALENTED teenager has talked her way to success after finishing second in a prestigious speech competition.

Teachers at Hedingham School and Sixth Form are over the moon after pupil Honey Scott, 16, scooped second place at the Jack Petchey Speak Out Challenge grand final.

The Jack Petchey Foundation was set up to inspire young people by providing exciting projects for them to get involved in.

More than 20,000 students from schools across the country competed for the top prize in the challenge

After a day spent learning about speeches with experts from the foundation, Honey, who is a Year 11 pupil, was chosen as the school’s representative after winning the final held in school assemblies for all the students.

She went on to win the regional final and several digital finals for a place in the grand final.

Honey, from Sible Hedingham, and the 13 other finalists were invited to Camberwell Studios in London for Covid-secure professional recordings of their speeches.

They were judged by Olympic gold medal winner Christine Ohuruogu, broadcaster and former MP Ed Balls and Britain’s Got Talent comedian Lee Ridley.

Honey wowed the judges with her three-minute speech entitled ‘Perfect’.

Hedingham School said the speech challenged modern ideas concerning social media and the detrimental effects it can have on young people.

Overall, Honey was placed second in the competition.

This year, for the first time in Jack Petchey history, the audience were also given the opportunity to vote for their favourite speeches from the night.

Votes rolled in over the course of the show and after these were counted up, Honey discovered she’d also won the Audience Impact Award.

She said: “I didn’t think I was going to make it through to final, let alone come second place in the whole competition.

“The competition has helped me believe that if I set my mind to it and work hard, I can achieve great things and make myself proud.

“I didn’t expect the competition to be like it was. I didn’t think I would make friends and have as much of a good time as I did.”

Honey now hopes to go into the performing arts industry.

Hedingham School says it is proud of Honey’s success, with all the staff and students wishing her the best of luck with her GCSE exams next summer and success with her plans for the future.