DAV Debating

Three debating teams went to Bendigo Senior Secondary College for the Debating Association of Victoria (DAV) competition, Rounds 1 and 3, both on Tuesday 14 May.

For these debates, students competed in teams of three with other schools from the region, in pre-prepared debate topics, plus a ‘secret topic’ for the senior team. With the secret topic students have just one hour and no resources to prepare their speeches.

Our Senior debate team performed admirably in both of their debates, although they were unsuccessful in winning either. They had extremely challenging topics, having to argue for replacing parliament with a random voting system and arguing for the abolition of private cars in favour of universal public transport.

The two junior teams addressed the topics of banning horse racing and abolishing standardised testing. The NAPLAN test the next day provided an added stimulus for them!

The judges were impressed with the junior teams’ efforts, keeping in mind not one of them had tried debating previously. The judges’ feedback was invaluable to all our students. It is helping sharpen their debating skills for bigger and more significant events later this year, in particular the Ursula Frayne Speech Festival, where we will face other Mercy schools in a range of disciplines.

As always, these students also benefited from networking with students at other schools, as well as practising their public speaking in front of an audience.

We commend these students on their active participation in debating and public speaking. We encourage all students at CMC to get involved in our extra-curricular activities and programs.

Mr Matthew Angove, Director of Learning & Teaching – St Mary’s and Mr Alistair Killick, Learning Tutor, Gifted & Talented Support

Senior Team: Samuel Angove, Charlotte Brook & Cameron Fields

Junior Secondary Teams: Joshua Harrison, Olivia Caldow & Jayden Kent; Mirabei Birtles, Erin Tinker & Alfonse Basha