Definitive Debating Skills

Desmond Tutu once said, ‘Don’t raise your voice, improve your argument’ and Year 10 students Jacob Atkinson and Victoria Hill are certainly embodying this philosophy.

The pair are a part of our West Australian Debating League team. In 2022 they competed in the British Parliamentary Debating Competition becoming the first team in St Stephen’s School history to do so. After several intense rounds of competition, they won the Grand Final held at Edith Cowan University and Jacob took out the prize for the best debater.

2023 is set to be another big year for this dynamic duo. Jacob attended the Western Australian Debating League (WADL) State trials and was selected in the State squad, the first St Stephen’s School student to ever achieve such an honour.

In 2022 Victoria competed in the United Nations Youth Voice competition where she placed third in the State finals. Later this year she will attend the National finals.

Both students will continue to debate in the WADL Schools’ Debating Competition this year, where they hope to progress to the knock-out rounds and go all the way to winning it.

The students aren’t just talented debaters, they also hold the school’s motto of Service close to their hearts. Both have expressed an interest in helping to coach our Rookie Debaters in Year 6 and 7. Victoria and Jacob hope they can pass on their skills and experience to the next generation of St Stephen’s School’s public speakers.