Last week our Secondary student debating teams met together to go head to head in a debating competition. Teams usually participate in the Queensland Debating Union competition with other teams from North Brisbane but their usual events have been cancelled due to Covid. Still keen to hone their skills, the Year 11 students took it upon themselves to plan and facilitate an in-house competition with students Alyssa Houghton, Cody Williams, Jesse Vickery and Zoe Turner putting in a special effort.
The night consisted of some mini-lectures to teach debating tips, games and short-prep debates. In debating, short-prep debates are when the teams are given the topic only an hour before they have to debate (as opposed to long-prep where they get it weeks in advance). They have no access to technology, so must rely on sheer logic and persuasion. After some team bonding over dinner, the teams presented their debates and then responded to a Q and A on their topics.
Debating coaches, Jacqueline King and Kelsey Birt, helped out on the night with trained QDU adjudicators, Alyssa and Zoe, each adjudicating a debate. The Year 9’s took out top spot on the night however a special mention goes out to the Year 7’s who participated, many who had never debated before but gave it their all.
