Top bout, no debate
By Keturah Wai’in, Year 12, Woree SHS
ST Augustine’s College and Woree State High School have met in a battle of words and wit to determine who would take home the title of Cairns Rotary Senior Debating Champions for 2018.
The topic for the grand final debate was “Public figures have a right to privacy” – an issue which had garnered much public debate in recent months.
The affirmative case was argued by St Augustine’s College and I must confess that we initially wished we had drawn the affirmative side.
Nevertheless, Woree set about arguing the negative case and taking the argument to our Saints competitors.
After battling over constitutional territory and case law, Saints and Woree eagerly awaited a decision.
Both schools wondered where the trophy was going to call home for 2018 and much suspense filled the room.
When the adjudicators returned to deliver their decision, Woree was named victor, with our supporters jubilantly celebrating.
My fellow team members Joyce Dotollo, Connor Peterson and I worked so hard to represent the great Woree High. We were determined to be crowned champs and bring back home the senior shield for the first time in nine years.
At the start of the competition we had no understanding of how much work would be involved but teacher Helen Tenison-Woods soon opened our eyes to what it would take.
Over the course of five months, 16 different schools competed in the competition, debating various topics such as “Community service should be compulsory for all high school students”, “All Australians should be listed on a DNA database”, and “Women need men like fish need bicycles”.
Debating is a complex skill that requires extensive research. It requires understanding the subtleties of a topic, planning strategies of attack and defence, anticipating arguments, writing persuasive speeches, learning speeches, rehearsing the delivery of speeches, performing confidently in front of others, listening, arguing and appealing to the audience.
The experience and the skills I have taken away from this competition are priceless.
I highly recommend entering the Rotary Debating Competition to all students in secondary schooling who have a keen interest in public speaking as I can guarantee it will be something that they will enjoy and greatly benefit from.
On behalf of Woree I would like to thank the Cairns Trinity Rotary Club for conducting this annual competition and showing continued commitment to public speaking and to Cairns youth.
I would also like to commend and thank all the schools who participated in this competition because I understand how much time everyone has to devote to it and what a nerve-racking experience it can be.
To all the adjudicators, timekeepers, chairmen and chairwomen, thank you for all the time you volunteered.
A special mention and thanks to Catherine Land and St Monica’s College for offering their school facilities for the duration of the competition.
And all of this would not be possible without Mario Calanna. A huge thank you to Mr Calanna for organising and supporting Cairns public speaking competitions, a task which he has selflessly undertaken for many years.