Terra Sancta win Catholic Schools’ debating competition

The winning team: Roman Chizhov, Sonyia Juarez, Kim Hanssen and Jade Naidoo

Debating and public speaking coordinator, Anne-Marie Barrett-Brown (right) said it is a great result for the students

On Friday 27 July, Terra Sancta College, Schofields-Quakers Hill won the Catholic Schools Debating Association grand final defeating more than 60 schools across metropolitan Sydney to take first place in the senior competition.

Commencing in May, the annual debating competition involved Catholic schools across Sydney competing in a series of preliminary rounds, culminating in the grand final that was held at Notre Dame University, Sydney.

With the final topic ‘We should end offshore processing of asylum seekers’ the Terra Sancta team made up of Year 12 students, Roman Chizhov, Sonyia Juarez Kim Hanssen and Year 11 student Jade Naidoo, successfully debated taking the negative stance defeating Monte Sant’ Angelo Mercy College, North Sydney to win the championship.

Terra Sancta’s debating and public speaking coordinator, Anne-Marie Barrett-Brown said the win is a great result for the school who first entered the competition eight years ago.

‘The quality of the debate was of a very high calibre and we are delighted with the result of our senior team who used their verbal dexterity and intellectual reasoning to convince the adjudicators of their stance,’ said Anne-Marie. ‘Not only was their debating performance impressive, but Roman, Jade, Sonyia and Kim conducted themselves with grace and good humour throughout the competition.’

The Parramatta diocese was represented by all secondary schools in the Catholic Schools Debating Association competition with great results across the board.  

Congratulations to the following schools:

• St Patrick’s Marist College, Dundas were awarded for the best and fairest performance by a school
• Patrician Brothers’ College, Blacktown senior team made it to semi-finals
• Gilroy College, Castle Hill and Catherine McAuley Westmead senior teams both made the quarter finals
•  Xavier College, Llandilo and Parramatta Marist High School Westmead Year 11 teams made it to the quarter finals
• Cerdon College, Merrylands, Year 9 team made the quarter finals
• St Pauls College, Greystanes and McCarthy Catholic College, Emu Plains Year 7 teams made the semi-finals in the competition
  

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