Otago Boys’ High School the victors for the first time
Over the weekend of 16/17 May the Otago Regional Schools’ Debating Champs were held at Columba College in Dunedin. Fourteen teams took part.
Rounds one and two were on a prepared topic: That we support the Government’s changes to NZ Aid. Saturday was rounded out with a limited preparation debate on the topic, “That cigarettes should be banned”.
Round four, the final preliminary round, saw the teams on a wintry and wet Sunday morning debating the motion “That learning a second language should be compulsory in NZ schools”. After four rounds there were five teams in contention for the semi-finals. Unfortunately Bayfield College missed out, with Otago Boys’ High School, Mt Aspiring, St Kevin’s College and Columba College advancing.
In the semi-finals, on the motion “That denial of global warming should be a crime”, Otago Boys’ beat Mt Aspiring and Columba defeated St Kevin’s.
The Grand Final was on the motion “That vaccinations should be compulsory” and was an interesting and close debate. Ultimately a 3-2 split decision saw Otago Boys’ lift the Otago University Debating Society Cup for the first time ever.
A series of awards were given out after the Grand Final.
Winners
Otago Boys’ High School (Sehan de Silva, Kurt Purdon, Borom Blaikie, ?)
Runners-Up
Columba College (Ava Atkinson-Brown, Alice Waterman, Alice Marsh)
Highly Commended
Harry Fellows (James Hargest)
Crystal Diong (Otago Girls’ High School)
Otago Regional Development Squad
Kieran Bunn (Logan Park High School)
James Tocher (Bayfield College)
Anna (Mount Aspiring College)
Amy Kennerley (Mount Aspiring College)
Reserve to the Otago Regional Schools’ Debating Team
Kim Hannah (St Hilda’s Collegiate School)
Otago Regional Schools’ Debating Team 2009 (L-R)
Alice Marsh (Columba College)
Kurt Purdon (Otago Boys’ High School)
Alice Waterman (Columba College)