An award ceremony can be a glittering glamorous occasion such as the Oscars an intellectual affair such as the Booker Prize or a noisy school prize-giving.
The audiences may be different but the palpable sense of anticipation is always the same. There is speculation and gossip and maybe even some bets as to who will win. In the case of the school prizes at least the winner of the 100 metre race is known if not that of the student of the year.
Such awards encourage hard work and motivation in the individual fields. They are
about succeeding in a competitive environment. They are about meeting a challenge, overcoming problems and achieving the pinnacle of success. They are about nerves, surprises and speeches. Those award winning speeches thank those who helped the winner achieve his or her prize and, almost without exception, are boring, repetitive or simply cringe making.
Being acknowledged by ones’ peers is the ultimate accolade. The glitz, the glamour and the TV cameras are just window dressing.

Check out our sample speeches