It is hard to argue with these students

Bunbury Senior High School has been crowned the South West regional junior debating champions after defeating Bunbury Catholic College at ECU South West on August 16 in the grand final of the Western Australian Debating League Regional Competition.

The victory marks the school’s second win in the competition, following success in 2016, as well as a second place last year.

“We thought we’d get into semis, but we didn’t know about getting into grands,” Year 9 team member Penelope Delaporte said.

The competition comprises five rounds plus a finals round and grand final, with students being given roughly two weeks to prepare for each debate before the prep time is slashed to just one week for the semis and grand final.

The topic of this year’s grand final was the privatisation of prisons, with the BSHS team arguing against the notion.

“It was pretty close, their second speaker was really, really good,” Penelope said.

This year’s victory was especially rich as Year 9 student Amelie Gates was awarded the ZONTA International Trophy for best female speaker, an award decided upon by the Western Australian Debating League’s senior adjudicator panel.

“I was surprised,” Amelie said. “I don’t know how to feel, my family are very proud.”