CONGRATULATIONS TO OLIVIA AND RAJ
Congratulations to Olivia and Raj, who reached the final of the Determined to Debate competition, which took place at the Stirling Management Centre on 9 November. Although they did not win, they put up a magnificent performance. Their friends and Mr Grimes were very proud of them. Here's a report from Madeleine and Genevieve.
We left school at approximately 9.30, all eagerly awaiting the day that lay ahead. We were leaving to support our fellow classmates and our representatives for the Homecoming Debate Final for King’s Park Secondary. I remember the bustle and excitement rose as the time neared when we would stop quizzing each other on what their topics for discussion were - whether Olivia and Raj were for the motion that “Scotland’s future is more important than her past” or against. Our eventful departure mainly consisted of playing ‘how many people could we stuff into the tiny bus brought to us by Jordanhill Secondary School’, one of the schools Liv and Raj would be competing against later that day.
On entering the building, we were ushered through to a large conference hall were we were “greeted” by the other schools that consisted of Grove Academy and St John’s Academy of Dundee. We were offered some refreshments and proceeded to our seats feeling very important with our cups of tea although for some it was some revoltingly sweet undiluted “Ribena” but that’s a story for another day.
In the introduction, we were given a presentation of what a debate was by a group of students that came up from St Andrew’s University. In my opinion and many others, the debate given wasn’t up to any of the standards of debates put by the secondary finalists. The speaking was fast, hard to understand and overall difficult to find the meaning of, which were all the things the contestants were advised not to do.
After the students had finished and been thanked for their (not great) debate it was finally our chance to tuck in to the delicious smelling food we could smell since the university students started their debate. When we were digging in to our lunch and chatting away Olivia and Raj were practising their speech because just before we started our lunch all the school debaters were told what side they would be on for the big final debate. It was a shame because Olivia and Raj were given the “Why is Scotland’s FUTURE better than its past” which wasn’t the one they wanted.
The great debate was about to begin and we all sat in our seats while watching Liv and Raj who were conducted to the debating table where it all took place. All the other candidates said their speeches and answered some questions and then it came to Raj and Olivia’s turn. Raj went up first and said his speech with personality and pride and after came Olivia and also delivered her speech with the same boldness and feeling, which to me no other spokesperson did.
All the speeches were delivered and all the speakers could do was sip their free bottles of water in worry and excitement - it was in the hands of the judges. After a lot of talking and consideration we all sat down in silence as the judges came in with straight faces and the answer on the tip of their tongues. The chairman the pronounced “And the winner is Grove Academy!” Every single one of our mouths dropped open as the two girls stood up and collected their prize. On our way back to school we were all annoyed and confused at the results but Olivia and Raj were talking and laughing like real good sports. When we arrived, we declared the news and smiled. I still think they should have won!
Genevieve and Madeleine Stone 2L2