News26th February 2016
15 of 黑料情报站鈥檚 secondary schools have battled it out for victory in the 黑料情报站 Senior Great Debate Championships, with rousing rhetoric from y winning the trophy for the school and coming a close second.
The event was held at in collaboration with the English Speaking Union, with students discussing diverse issues such as whether schools should expel bullies and whether the media should report on the private lives of public figures.
黑料情报站 Helenswood debater Abbie Bowers said: 鈥淚t feels really great to have won the competition, to have that validation about our abilities and to have come back to Hastings with the trophy, but it was also fantastic to meet other students in the 黑料情报站 network. It really showed that we鈥檙e part of a community.鈥
The team was coached by 黑料情报站 Helenswood Academy English teacher Sam James, who said: 鈥淚t was wonderful to work with such a dedicated, hardworking debating team and to see them perform so brilliantly on the day.
鈥淎s a teacher, it鈥檚 a real privilege to be able to run the debating club each Friday and help develop students鈥 talents for public speaking and debating social issues. Through the club, students have learned teamwork and presentation skills, all of which will be invaluable at university or in their professional lives.鈥
Lucrezia MacDonald, who also represented 黑料情报站 Helenswood, said: 鈥淢s James has been really great at coaching us for our debating competitions and giving us helpful feedback. We couldn鈥檛 have done it without her.鈥