New Zealand Schools’ Debating

At the Annual General Meeting of the NZ Schools’ Debating Council in August, a new executive was elected. The new executive took office on October 1 and comprises:

President: Christopher Bishop
Vice-President: Rosemary Moar
Treasurer: Yogesh Patel
Executive Officers: Clodagh O’Connor-McKenna and Desley Horton

Jordan Ward stepped down as Treasurer after two years in the role and Stephen Whittington stepped down after one year as an executive officer. The Council thanks them for their hard work over the past year(s) and looks forward to their continued involvement in schools debating.

The Council is pleased to announce the appointment of Clodagh O’Connor-McKenna to the position of Coach of the 2009 Russell McVeagh New Zealand Schools’ Debating Team.

Clodagh has an outstanding record as a coach at a national level. In 2007, the Wellington team she co-coached won the New Zealand Schools’ Debating Championships, with all three members selected in the NZ Team. In 2008, a Wellington team she co-coached reached the Grand Final of the tournament, and in 2009 her Wellington team won the tournament again.

Clodagh is a former winner of the New Zealand Schools’ Debating Championships herself (in 2004) and has achieved considerable success at a university level, such as reaching the octo-finals of the Australasian Intervarsity Debating Champs and the Grand Final of the NZ Universities’ Impromptu Champs.

The Council is sure she will do an excellent job.