Mr Jack de Groot, Executive Director, Catholic Schools Parramatta Diocese, with the Year 12 Debating Team and Ms Debbie Grigson, Acting Principal and Mr Thomas Fraser, Debating Coordinator.
In what the adjudicators have called the ‘debate of the season’ the Catherine McAuley Year 12 Senior Debating Team debated on Friday night in the 2024 Catholic Schools Debating Association (CSDA) Grand Final.
Our Senior Team lost to Rosebank College Five Dock as both teams debated the topic, ‘That Peace Should Be A Political Imperative’. Catherine McAuley had the affirmative. At the conclusion of the debate the lead adjudicator told the audience that both teams represented their school outstandingly. He paid tribute to the teaching staff at both schools.
What we have heard in this debate is a testament to what has taken place in the classroom.
The CSDA Debating Grand Final was held at The Australian Catholic University, Strathfield on Friday, 2nd August in front of a large audience. Catholic schools from across Sydney gathered together to listen to the top two teams in each division battle it out for the title. Special awards were also awarded to the schools who had the best aggregate results in each category. Catherine McAuley was announced as the CSDA Debating Competition Aggregate Winner Senior 2024. This award is given to the school with the most consistent and best performing senior teams (Years 11 and 12) over the entire 2024 season. Out of all the schools who took part this year Catherine McAuley collectively had the most points in the senior competition. This is a wonderful achievement!
The Year 12 Debating Team with Mr Thomas Fraser, Debating Coordinator, after the CSDA Grand Final on Friday 2nd August 2024
Mr Thomas Fraser, Public Speaking and Debating Coordinator, said that he was incredibly proud of the team in what was their last school debating season. “They have performed phenomenally and I am really, really happy with how they have gone this year”, Mr Fraser said after the debate. “To be Runners Up means they are in the top two teams across the entire competition”. Ms Debbie Grigson, Acting School Principal, said that the content in the debates from the Catherine McAuley students in both the semi final and the final “showed the strength of their learning and what they are learning in class from their teachers”.
The Year 12 Senior Debating Team consisted of Erica J., Alyssa A., Mikaela B.S. and Anusha H.. Time keeper for the debate was Catherine McAuley Year 8 debating student Crystal M.. Following the award ceremony the team said that it had been a great season and they had really come together as a team. “We know each other’s strengths and weaknesses and we know how to work with each other”, said Alyssa. Anusha acknowledged that the team had been together for three years and until the grand final debate had remained undefeated all season.
Mikaela said that she hoped she could continue debating at university. “I have been doing this for a long time so it feels pretty weird that this is our last school debate”. Mikaela encouraged other students to consider joining the debating team. “Debating is good because you are given the opportunity to consolidate your knowledge and construct an articulate argument. You get to put something together as a team which I really enjoy because debating really is a team effort”.
Congratulations to the Year 12 Senior Debating Team and to all the Catherine McAuley Teams who participated in the debating competition this year.
Jacqui Hamilton | School Development Officer
Catherine McAuley Westmead
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