Debating and Public Speaking

Courage, determination and a high level of skill; these are the qualities that typify Portland Secondary College debaters. After a great year of debating last year, 2007 started even stronger with an unprecedented number of Year 7 students keen to participate, along with plenty of experienced debaters to guide and mentor them.

The first of our interschool competitions was held in Warrnambool during first term and saw our largest ever team travelling to Brauer College on two evenings. We had much success with some wins in the junior, intermediate and senior sections against Brauer College, Warrnambool College and Hamilton College. It was fantastic to see students from all year levels looking after each other and learning from one another. Other highlights of this competition included the courageous Grace Warren who, on one occasion, despite having her own intermediate debate to do, stepped in at the last minute to fill a senior team on the topic “That Australian men are a sorry lot”.

The inter-form competition provided lots of opportunities for students from Years 7 – 10 to get involved in debating. Topics included: ‘That books are better than films’, ‘That life was better in our grandparents’ day’ and ‘That PSC should bring in Saturday detentions’.  This competition also gave some of our more experienced debaters a chance to practise their adjudication skills.

One of the more prestigious competitions offered to students is the Debating Eisteddfod in Warrnambool where a range of students from schools within the region compete. We had teams entered from all Year levels and not only did we win some of the debates, but we also received positive feedback from the judges about the skill our speakers showed in their strong rebuttal of the other teams’ cases.

A special event was the debate held as part of the Port Fairy Ex Libris Book Fair in which Frankie Jasper, Renee Beanland and Jacqueline Avery, all from Year 8, took on three VCE students from Brauer College. Not only did the girls show tremendous courage by accepting the role of ‘underdog’, but they did a fine job of matching wits, argument and humour with the VCE boys.  They certainly won the admiration and respect of the audience and

Our Debating Captains for this year were Jacqueline Avery and Billy Kerr (Junior); Kendra Trewavis, Sarah Edwards and Cait Edwards (Intermediate) and Julia Ray and Scott Beanland (Senior). We would like to thank them for their hard work and support of other students, and for their assistance to Mr.Boyer, Mr.Langdon and Ms.Walsh in organising teams. Congratulations to all students who had a go at debating this year –we are certainly very proud of your efforts.

How my life has changed since I started Debating

I've always known I wanted to be a debater. Public speaking has always been for me. But I didn't have the opportunity to start debating... until I started Year 7 at Portland Secondary College.

When I first debated I loved it instantly. My first debate was an impromptu class debate - boys vs Curls. The girls won and when I got MVD, (Most Valuable Debater) something inside me just clicked! From then on I didn't stop bugging Mr. Langdon (the Debating coordinator of the time) until I was given a chance on the team! From there I had nowhere to go but up, entering Legacy 2006.

Junior Debating captain and several successful debates are some of my public speaking achievements. To me all of this excitement was just leading up to my best success so far: winning the Western Victorian branch of Rostrum - Voice of You. this is exciting and great and all because of the chance Portland Secondary College has given me at debating.

DEBATING SUCCESS IN WARRNAMBOOL

Portland Secondary College has had great results debating at the recent Warrnambool Eisteddfod. Four teams from across all year levels entered the competition with three of the four winning their debates (the fourth team lost by only one point!).

Students debated the following topics: 'Any publicity is good publicity ', 'Sports cheats should be banned for life', 'Victoria should embrace nuclear power', ‘Chat rooms are dangerous places.'

Our congratulations go to debaters Seisia Kane and Ebony Rolph (Year 7), Jacqueline Avery, Renee Beanland, Frankie Jasper and Billy Kerr (Year 8), Cait Edwards, Sarah Edwards and Kendra Trewavis (Year 10) and Julia Ray, Scott Beanland and Anthony Martin (VCE). These students did a magnificent job of representing our school, both in the quality of their debates and in their conduct while outside of school.

Special thanks go to parents Kylie Kane, Miriam Ray and Janine Trewavis for taking the students to Warrnambool. Your support is very much appreciated.  

-Claire Walsh, Debating coordinator