Junior Debating
This year Glen Eira College was very fortunate to have a junior debate team. We participated in the McKinnon Secondary area of the JSP program. We had 3 debates, along with a mock debate run by the adjudicators and 2 training sessions. Ms Chislett was there to help us students for the first debate, and then Mr Balme stepped up to help us with the second and third debates. We were very lucky to have some amazing, caring teachers who really tried their best to help us out.
The 2025 GEC Debate Team consisted of the following students:
Shresta Pulaparthi 8B
Alfie Koval 8B
Gabrielle Lim 7B
Tengyi Bian 7B
Rhea Madhu 7B
Oscar Want 7B
Gabriel Goodman 7B
We all participated in a debate each, with some students doing 2. Each debate also had 2 backup speakers who would step up if one of the speakers couldn’t attend. Our schedule before each debate consisted of weekly meetings, and then a daily meeting the week of the debate. Everyone put all of their effort into preparing speeches, practising and preparing rebuttals in advance. Debating was an opportunity for us to step out of our comfort zones and expand our skills.
This is what our debaters have to say about debating:
Debating has really opened up many opportunities for me. It was a really good experience; the weekly meetings, the rehearsals, and even the stress of finishing our speeches on time. We grew stronger together as a group and made a few new friends. Experiencing the different speaker roles that I wouldn’t do was a challenge, but it's safe to say I now know my strengths and weaknesses in debating, and where to improve on. Going to the debates each time, eagerly waiting to see what the other team has to say, and looking to my team-mates and teacher for reassurance was all very memorable.
Shresta
My experience with debating has been super positive as I very much enjoyed working with my other team members and taking part in the planning and speaking in the debates. I think I learnt a lot and thought that the topics given to us were interesting but also not too difficult to understand and form arguments for. Ultimately, I think interschool debating is a really fun program and hopefully there will be more opportunities in the future.
Alfie
Debating was a really great experience. It was really fun and I learned a lot about debating and public speaking. I also made friends and stronger bonds with the other debaters. I loved planning and speaking with my teammates at the debates and would love to participate in JSP again next year. Thank you to Ms Chislett for giving us this opportunity and Mr Balme for stepping in after Ms Chislett left. All in all debating was a really special experience and I hope for more opportunities like this in the future.
Gabby
Debating has been an extremely fun and meaningful experience for me. I really enjoyed working with my teammates, planning our arguments, practising our speeches, and supporting one another. I learned a lot about public speaking and how to think quickly, and I feel that I’ve become more confident after each debate. Even though it could be stressful at times, especially when preparing our speeches, it was always exciting to hear the other team’s ideas and to see how our arguments stood up against theirs. I’m really grateful for the opportunity and would definitely love to participate in JSP again next year.
Tengyi
Through debating, we have all gained not only experience in debating, but also enjoyed the process! We all were dedicated to the team, from this, we both got an advantage in our debates and bonded. All of us were passionate about writing and speaking. We persevered through the departure of Ms Chislett, and found Mr Balme, who stepped in just before our second debate. He helped us add so much to our speeches. I believe that all of us would love to participate in JSP again, and highly recommend it to everyone!
Rhea
Debating has been a fun way to get better at public speaking and speech writing. It has also provided me with new perspectives of people and topics. Participating in debating club also helped form friendships with the other members and allowed us to learn more about each other. Overall debating club has been a great experience and I would definitely recommend it to anyone interested in public speaking.
Oscar
Debating was such an amazing experience because I got to step out of my comfort zone and do something different. I got to know the people in my team much better than I had. It taught me many skills such as organising my speeches, being confident in myself and using teamwork to my advantage. In the end, it was a fun and thrilling experience and would recommend it to others.
Gabe
We had our first debate on the 3rd of September against Wesley College and were successful. The second one on 15 October against Caulfield Grammar was sadly not the same case. Then, on the 29th, was our final debate against Star of the Sea College, and we won that. The best speaker awards were presented to members of our school for all three debates.
Reflecting on the Debating Season, all of us can agree that it was a very successful one; it was the first time doing interschool debating for every single one of us, but we’ve definitely learnt a lot of tips to become better in our public speaking and English skills.
Saying that, we will definitely recommend joining the debating club for anyone considering it. Sometimes it might seem daunting speaking in front of everyone and arguing for something you might not believe, but it will definitely help you in so many ways other than academics. We’ve taken so much from it, just because we gave it a go - and I’m sure all of us would say the same thing. The 2025 Debating Season is finished, but for next year, more details will be coming - hopefully we can have a Junior and Senior Team!
Though not a debater by trade, I can tell that our students have real debating talent.
All members of the team showed a great aptitude for debating, but more importantly, a desire to take on feedback, learn about debating craft and help their peers get better.
Taking over the debating team at the end of term 3 was a breeze, as Ms Chislett led by example, with precision in her organisation of the team. It was no surprise that the students were the same.
With each upcoming debate, the three debaters for that meet were diligently preparing over multiple lunchtimes, joined by their other team members assisting in preparation and helping role play scenarios and points likely made by the opposition. This showed the commitment each member of the team had to develop the craft of their peers.
For both debates I was present for, the students showed their level of preparation by carefully dissecting the topic and presenting convincing and emotive arguments that were lauded by opposition speakers and adjudicators.
I definitely recommend students join the debating team, developing lifelong communication skills and sharing a stage with some of the great speakers of the future.
Mr Balme
Shresta Pulaparthi 8B