Category: Debating

WADL Debating… Round 1

March 11, 2020

It was the first night of the 2020 Western Australia Debating League (WADL) season and our teams were in action, competing with other local schools. Our novices got their first taste of WADL debating by getting their teeth stuck into whether politics should be a compulsory subject in high school. Our seasoned senior debaters wrestled with the complex role NATO plays in world affairs. With Rookie Debating to come next term (as well as Interhouse Debating), public speaking is alive and well at St Stephen’s!

Howie Jackeway

Head of Learning Area – English & Languages

Novice team:

Ben Hayes

Rachel Ford

Amelie van Wyk

Kari Whitelock

Senior team:

Cara-Anne Kerr

Alysha MacAdam

Emma Charteris

 

 

 

ROOKIE DEBATING

July 24, 2019

Rounding off a successful semester, our debating students brought their A-game to the stage in the Rookie Debating Grand Final last term. In a cross-campus battle, Duncraig were victorious while Carramar’s Luke Shirdon took out the Best Speaker award. Congratulations on an awesome debating season!

WORDS OF WISDOM

April 10, 2019

Duncraig recently hosted Round 2 of the WA Debating League with great success. Hot topics of discussion included ‘Should Australia become a republic?’ and ‘Should parliamentary privilege be abolished?’ bringing out a passion for public speaking among our students!

That’s Debatable!

May 24, 2018

Debating teach students about the difference between strong and faulty arguments. It guides students through the process of developing claims and counter-arguments, as well as ones that help them identify common logical fallacies.

Introducing our fabulous combined debating teams comprising of students from Year 6 and 7.

The Arts Award Assembly

September 1, 2017

The Arts Award Assembly took place today.

It was a wonderful array of Debating, Drama, Music, Art, and Singing.

Principal Donella Beare along with ex-student Alex Morris presented the many awards. Alex is a graduate of the University of Western Australia having completed a Bachelor of Music majoring in Composition in 2009. During primary and secondary school at St Stephen’s, Alex studied music and had an active involvement in all available vocal ensembles and the string ensembles on the violin.

It was an opportunity to acknowledge ex-student Amy Reid who had her work ‘Girl in a Manhole’ displayed in the Art Gallery of WA where she won the Exhibition Medallion of 2016.

Parents were invited for morning tea afterwards.

WADL Debating- OctoFinals at Hale

August 2, 2017

Despite putting up a galant performance last night against a highly-organised team from Perth Modern, our novice team lost by a solitary point and therefore bow out of the competition.

The team pictured:

Cara-Anne Kerr, Emma Pattenden, and Charlotte Buchanan coached by Jana MacAdam (Class of 2016).

They were very well prepared, spoke beautifully and confidently and were a credit to themselves, the school and our community.

In years to come (and they’re eager to come back for more next year) they will be a formidable team.

They deserve our congratulations on their efforts.

Howie Jakeway

Head of Learning Area- English and Languages

WADL Duncraig 3 Debating Team Victorious

July 26, 2017

‘St Stephen’s Duncraig 3’ Novice team were victorious last night against a spirited Duncraig High team. They will now proceed to the next round which will be held at Hale next Tuesday. Their debate will be against Perth Modern and will commence at 6:30. I’ll be there to cheer them on.

The team are:

Cara-Anne Kerr

Emma Pattenden

Charlotte Buchanan

They’re coached by Jana MacAdam who graduated from SSS last year.

Howie Jakeway

HOLA English

 

‘Your word is a lamp for my feet, a light on my path.’  Psalm 119:105

Rookie Debating- Grand Final

July 8, 2017

Rookie Debating is an opportunity for the school to bring the Duncraig and Carramar campuses together in the spirit of healthy competition. The topic debated was ‘Fidget spinners are just a harmless craze’. The trophy for most effective and influential speaker went to Braden Gostlow from Duncraig. There is a picture in the file with him holding his trophy. The adjudicators were Howie Jakeway and Ben Manifold (an external adjudicator from the West Australian Debating League- WADL). The debate was of a very high standard indeed and students were robustly prepared. In a tightly-fought and keenly contested debate, the negative team took home the trophy and are pictured holding it.

Finally, a morning tea was enjoyed by all who contributed to the debate. We look forward to these fine debaters being involved in WADL in the near future and it’s so good to hear/see that the art of debating is alive and well at St Stephen’s School.

Howie Jakeway

Head of Learning Area – English and Languages