story by: Dave King

“It’s okay to cheat” and “Lying is a necessary evil” were the winning debating topics at the national finals of Rotary Youth Speaks held in Norwich.

School teams from across the country gathered at the John Innes Conference Centre at Norwich Research Park, Norfolk for the finals which were watched by 150 people.

Youth Speaks is a long-standing Rotary-organised competition run initially by Rotary clubs at an area level, moving through to District, regional and eventually the national finals.

The idea is to encourage schoolchildren to research an important social topic, expand their knowledge and formulate ideas for a debate.

For the finals there were teams competing in two age categories – intermediate and senior – representing Rotary clubs from across England, Scotland, Wales and Ireland; both north and south.

St Brigid’s School from Denbigh, North Wales, won the intermediate competition for 11 to 13-year-olds with their debate on “It’s okay to cheat”. They were sponsored by Denbigh Rotary Club in District 1180.

They beat a team from St John Ogilvie High School from Hamilton in South Lanarkshire, Scotland, who debated “Homework is a good thing”. The school team was sponsored by Hamilton Rotary Club from District 1320.

In the senior competition for schoolchildren aged between 14 and 17-years-old, Redland Green School from Bristol won the debating competition with the topic of “Lying is a necessary evil”. Clifton and Bristol Rotary Club in District 1100 sponsored the school.

President Kennedy School from Coventry, Warwickshire, finished runners-up with their debate “Cancel culture ensures accountability”. The school was sponsored by Coventry Jubilee Rotary Club in District 1060.

School teams of three were invited to challenge their public speaking abilities, perform, persuade and entertain the audience, along with a panel of judges, while displaying a deep knowledge of the topic.

The participants present arguments and points of discussion, before taking questions. Taking part helps build self-confidence and develop public speaking skills, including how to keep an audience engaged.

The judges for the intermediate competition were James Easter (Chair of South Norfolk Council), Seth Rowden (Norwich Speakers Club) and John Gethin (Writer and Educator), and the questioner was Barry Stone (Chair of Norfolk County Council).

For the senior competition, the judges included Barry Stone (Chair of Norfolk County Council), Julia Bates (Deputy Principal Curriculum and Strategic Partnership at East Coast College), with Nick Farrow (Chairperson of Farrows and Trustee of the Royal Warrant Holders Association Charity Fund) serving as the questioner.

The event was organised by Rotarians Andy Calvert, Jeanette and Ian Elliott and Peter Dowse.

Peter, who is Youth Lead for District 1240 (Essex, East London, East Hertfordshire) described the finals as “a truly memorable occasion”.

He said: “The judges all remarked on the excellence of the speakers and stated it was a couple of points between all entries when coming to a conclusion.

“There were many positive comments made by parents, Rotarians, teachers and attendees about the administration, premises, food, hotel and travel advice given and thanked us and Rotary as a whole.”

NORTH OF ENGLAND AND NORTH WALES

Intermediate team

School: St Brigid’s School, Denbigh, North Wales

Tutor: Adam Tranmer

Topic: ‘It’s ok to cheat’

Chairperson: Jessica Atherton, Proposer: Joseff Tranmer, Opposer: Christian Qualters

Senior team

School: Birkenhead School, Merseyside

Tutor: Helen Ballantyne

Topic: ‘Why a cashless society is inevitable and beneficial for modern society’

Chairperson: Oliver Coleman, Proposer: Aaron Mackie, Opposer: Jack Vicars

SOUTH WALES & SOUTH-WEST

Intermediate team

School: Redmaids High School, Bristol

Sponsor: Clifton & Bristol Rotary

Topic: ‘Single sex schools should be banned’

Chairperson: Laila Dilku, Proposer: Anna Gentilli, Opposer: Florence Allsop

Senior team

School: Redland Green School, Bristol

Sponsor: Clifton & Bristol Rotary

Topic: ‘Lying is a necessary evil’

Chairperson: William Smith, Proposer: Sophia Brunt, Opposer: Razia Scase

MIDLANDS

Intermediate team

School: Kenilworth School, Kenilworth, Warwickshire

Tutor: Aaron Dudley

Sponsor: Coventry Rotary Club

Topic: ‘Is Ofsted fit for purpose?’

Chairperson: Ayaan Carvalho, Proposer: Olivia Harold, Opposer: Oliver Rushton

Senior team

School: President Kennedy School, Coventry, Warwickshire

Tutor: Sophie Rajali

Sponsor: Coventry Jubilee Rotary Club

Topic: ‘Cancel culture ensures accountability’

Chairperson: Isla Cooksey, Proposer: Alisha Riaz, Opposer: Mason Clowes

SCOTLAND AND IRELAND

Intermediate Team

School: St John Ogilvie High School, Hamilton, South Lanarkshire, Scotland

Sponsor: Hamilton Rotary Club

Topic: ‘Homework is a good thing’

Chairperson: Lucas Quinn, Proposer: Matthew Robertson, Opposer: Louie Bonnar

Senior Team

School: Kyle Academy, Ayr, South Ayrshire, Scotland

Sponsor: Ayr Rotary Club

Topic: ‘This house believes AI should be embraced’.

Chairperson: Emma Kay, Proposer: Sophie Powell, Opposer: Lucy Assur

CENTRAL AND EASTERN ENGLAND

Intermediate Team

School: The Abbey School, Reading, Berkshire

Tutor: Sarah Quant

Sponsor: Maiden Erlegh Rotary Club

Topic: ‘Is rivalry beneficial?’

Chairperson: Nikita Unni, Proposer: Gabrielle Lawson, Opposer: Saanvi Meruga

Senior Team

School: St Albans Girls School, St Albans, Hertfordshire

Tutor: Lyndsey Mathurin

Sponsor: District 1260

Topic: ‘Dictatorships are an ineffective form of governance’

Chairperson: Zoe Brace, Proposer: Henna Salhan, Opposer: Sabrina Devji

INDIVIDUAL AWARDS

Intermediate Category

Best Chairperson: Lucas Quinn, St John Ogilvie High School, Hamilton

Best Proposer: Olivia Harold, Kenilworth School

Best Opposer: Christian Qualters, St Brigid's Denbigh

Senior Category

Best Chairperson: Isla Cooksey, President Kennedy School, Coventry

Best Proposer: Sophia Brunt, Redland Green School, Bristol

Best Opposer: Jack Vicars, Birkenhead School