Speaking Up and Standing Out: A Stellar Season of Debating
Whether on the stage at Wesley College or in our own Auditorium, our debaters have delivered sharp thinking, confident speaking and compelling teamwork this term, showing once again that at The Knox School, student voices are important: they’re a skill, a strength and a way to lead.
House Debate Grand Final: A Close Call and a Confident Crowd
On Tuesday 5 August, students from Years 7 to 11 gathered in the Auditorium to witness the House Debating Grand Final, the topic being “There should be a separate Olympic Games that permits the use of performance-enhancing drugs.”
Lawrence House argued for the motion, while Chisholm House took the opposing stance. The six speakers delivered a high-quality contest, with clear, persuasive arguments and impressive teamwork on display.
The nature of House debating requires students to collaborate closely, from researching the topic to delivering rebuttals and building critical thinking.
In the end, Chisholm House claimed victory by the narrowest of margins: 24 to 23.5 points. Congratulations to all participants, and a special shoutout to Imogen Ilott, who was awarded Best Speaker, and Aleeza Azmaan, who adjudicated the event with insight and professionalism.
TKS Competes on the Interschool Stage
Meanwhile, our interschool debaters have been representing The Knox School with passion and poise in the Debaters Association of Victoria (DAV) competition. Held at Wesley College, our Year 9 to Year 12 teams have tackled five rounds of debating against schools from across the local league—with finals still to come.
Students are given real-world, thought-provoking topics such as:
- Phone use should be taught as a learning tool in schools
- The Australian Census should be optional
- All school and university exams should be open book
The debaters receive their side of the argument in advance and work as a team to develop structured, well-researched cases.
The results were outstanding.
Our Year 9 team, new to debating this year, have won four out of five matches and multiple Best Speaker awards – a remarkable achievement for a team with no prior experience.
Our Year 10 and 11 teams have also had strong performances, notching several wins and individual awards of their own. With finals yet to be decided we hope to see both teams taking part; regardless, we’re excited to see what’s next.
These successes reflect effort, discipline and confidence of our students, qualities that go beyond debating and into every corner of their learning journey.
Congratulations to all our debaters for raising their voices, challenging ideas and stepping boldly into the spotlight.
