Pupils are speaking out for county debating competition

Jul 2 2009 by Marjorie Kerr, West Lothian Courier

PUPILS at West Lothian schools spoke out at a special county-wide competition.

Debating competition West Lothian Speaks! saw the secondary schools battle it out to win the public speaking shield.

This year’s competition took place last month with around 100 S1 and S2 pupils descending on St Margaret’s Academy in Livingston.

Ahead of the event, 15 pupils from each school attended debating workshops, held at Ogilvie House in Livingston, where they focused on skills

Pupils then returned to their schools to prepare their allocated motion.

This year’s winners were Anna Smeaton, Gordon Paterson and Jack Mason of Inveralmond High School in Livingston who proposed the motion ‘This House believes that physician assisted suicide should remain illegal’.

The team fought off strong opposition from Caitlin Sutherland, Helena Kelly and Danielle Hughes of St Margaret’s Academy to win.

An additional award for Speaker of the Day was given to Caitlin Sutherland of St Margaret’s Academy.

In addition to the competition at S1/2 level, this year also saw two debating competitions take place at primary seven level, as part of the transition programme, in both the St Kentigern’s Academy and St Margaret’s Academy clusters.

The winners of the West Lothian Speaks! Primary competitions were Lauren Hurry, Ryan Finnigan and David Porcher of St Paul’s Primary, East Calder and Keziah Richardson Mensah, Lauren Hackett and Rachel Harvey of St Thomas’ Primary, Addiewell.

Winners of Speaker of the Day were Rachel Rafferty of Howden, St Andrew’s and Jack Marshall of St Anthony’s, Armadale.