Bermuda Secondary Schools Debate Tournament

November 25, 2014

The Bermuda Junior Service League and The Bermuda Debate Society announced the winners of the 25th Annual Secondary Schools Debate Tournament.

15 teams, 45 debaters in all, from 6 schools participated in the 3 Round all day competition, as well as 14 speakers and timers, 48 judges, and with organisers, friends and family in attendance.

The Prepared Motion for the Senior School was “This House believes that children should have a legal obligation towards their parents after adulthood”. The Middle School debated “This House believes that Feminism is obsolete”. The Impromptu Motion for all was “This House regrets joining Facebook”.

The overall Senior School Winner was Team BHS [Megan Sutcliffe, William Campbell, & Namrata [Nikki] Bisht], while Team Berkeley [Yasser Baia, Tyrese Coakley, & Rhianna Allen] was the Senior School Runner Up.

For the Middle School, Warwick Academy [Chiara Marshall, Asha Symons, & Conor Hay] was the winner, with BHS [Sierra Brangman, Saxon Davis, and Genevieve Lau] as Middle School Runner Up.

The first Secondary Schools Debate Tournament was held in 1989 – a community service project launched by the Bermuda Junior Service League under President Victoria Cox. The Project’s mission statement was to ‘provide a forum in which all secondary school students island-wide could come together and participate in non-athletic competition’.

Thousands of students and judges have participated in the Tournament over its 25 year history; many have represented Bermuda in international competition, all have taken away skills that benefit them in school and life. Many past debaters are now involved with debate in Bermuda and overseas as coaches and judges.

The Bermuda Debate Society, founded in 1990, is charged with promoting and fostering debate island-wide. A program in being developed to assist and support debate clubs in all schools and a Spring Tournament is in the planning stages to provide more opportunities for aspiring debaters. Interested persons may contact the BDS by email at Bermuda.debate.society@gmail.com.

At Saturday’s prizegiving, the BJSL recognized and thanked 6 individual judges who have generously donated their time and skills judging each year since the Tournament’s inception: Dame Jennifer Smith, John Barritt, David Notman, Rod Attride-Stirling, and Paul and Veronica Lowry.

Senior Schools:

The Victoria Cox Memorial Trophy for the Winning Team:

BHS – Megan Sutcliffe, William Campbell, Namrata [Nikki] Bisht

The Bermuda Junior Service League Trophy for the Senior School Runner Up Team:

Berkeley Institute – Yasser Baia, Tyrese Coakley, Rhianna Allen

Middle Schools:

The Bermuda Debate Society Trophy for the Winning Team:

Warwick Academy – Chiara Marshall, Asha Symons, Conor Hay

The CNA Butterfield & Son Trophy for the Middle School Runner Up Team:

BHS – Sierra Brangman, Saxon Davis, and Genevieve Lau

To recognize individual debaters:

The Victoria Cox Memorial Plate for the Top Individual Debater for the Senior School:
[donated by Bermuda’s 1st Worlds Debate Team in honour of Victoria Cox]