The Jack Petchey “Speak Out” Challenge! are proud to not only be able to influence the communication skills of 16,000 young people but also to create a legacy for the programme, therefore impacting their future. One of the ways we are doing this is by encouraging them to look at further education. Speakers Trust organised, in conjunction with Corpus Christi
College, Cambridge University to host an admissions day for our Regional
Champtions. Below is an account from Rachel Chellapah, Nower Hill High
School – the Harrow Regional Champion 2012:
On the 31 st of October 2012, 16 regional champions and grand finalists of the 2012 Jack
Petchey Speak out Challenge visited Corpus Christi College accompanied by the programme’s director, Paul Boldeau, and coordinator, Becky Griffiths.
During the summer holidays, an email popped into my inbox regarding a visit to Corpus
Christi College. As soon as I laid eyes on the email, I jumped at the chance of visiting such a prestigious university. I immediately replied regarding my interest as quick as Usain Bolt would run the 100m. Having never visited Cambridge before, I was excited as to what the day would bring.
The day of the visit began like any other; I was rudely interrupted from my sleep by the deafening ringing of my arch nemesis: the alarm clock.
We met at Kings Cross station and boarded a train to Cambridge. One hour later, we embarked on what was a mile’s walk, although, it felt like an uphill climb on Mount Everest in the freezing cold. Walking around Cambridge in my school uniform during the half term did not seem ideal, however, as soon as we arrived at our destination, the magnificence of the 14 th century buildings were so overwhelming that everything else was just a blur.
We were then ushered into a room and greeted by Dr Melanie Taylor, the Admissions Tutor, where we were served refreshments. After, we were introduced to Law Tutor, Professor
David Ibbetson. He engaged us in several different law related exercises on the specific topic of burglary. In these exercises, we had to compare both real-life and fictional scenarios to current laws and define whether it was burglary, a different crime or no crime at all and justify our explanation. The participation in these exercises stimulated my level of spontaneous critical thinking and improved my ability to analyse evidence and further support it with detailed reasoning.
The school’s liaison officer, Dr Juliet Foster, discussed various pieces of information with us, such as: why people go to university, the advantages of studying at Cambridge and the

ideal traits of a Cambridge applicant. She also answered our burning questions which varied from courses and grades to clubs and societies.
Lunch was held in the beautifully ornate 19 th century dining hall. After lunch, some undergraduates took us on a fascinating tour of the buildings and grounds of Corpus Christi where we viewed old court, new court and the chapel. The exquisite chapel hosts many services and is where the Corpus Choir often performs.
To conclude our trip, we were given a private tour of the renowned Parker Library by librarian Dr Suzanne Paul. The Parker Library is home to a vast collection of rare manuscripts and printed books dating back over hundreds of years. Entering the Parker
Library, my nostrils picked up the sweet aroma of old books. We stood in awe as Dr
Suzanne Paul explained the extensive process of how some books were made using animal skin. For example, a bible she showed us was the product of slaughtering 800 sheep. In addition, we observed other books that had been painstakingly handwritten using quill pens.
This experience has provided me with a further insight into higher education and I will definitely consider applying to Cambridge University in the future. On behalf of all the regional champions and grand finalists, I would like to express my thanks to Paul, Becky and
Corpus Christi for arranging such an unforgettable day.