Debating & Public Speaking News

The St Catherine’s Debating and Public Speaking program is off to a great start in 2026.

Years 9 to 12 registrations for the Senior DAV Interschool Debating Competition, commencing in March at Scotch College, have already exceeded last year’s numbers. Students have also registered for the DAV Women’s Debate and the Climate Issues Debate, both taking place in March. The Years 7 & 8 Junior DAV Debating program information will be advertised later in the year as it takes place in Semester 2.

In addition to the many debating opportunities, there are also a variety of Public Speaking competitions advertised on the portal and sign-ups are currently underway.

Victorian Schools Team Debating Squad

Already this year, we have had two students reach the final stage of the Victorian Schools Team Debating Squad trials. 

Iha Guruprasad (Year 10) and Junya Jiang (Year 9) progressed to the final 24 students from 170 students in the trials, which is an incredible achievement. Junya Jiang went on to be selected as one of 13 debaters across the state to train for the 2026 Victorian Squad team - an exceptional accomplishment. The Victorian Schools Team (VST) is a mixed year level group that represents the state at the National Schools Debating Championships, with winning teams going on to represent Australia at the World Championships.

We look forward to the continued growth and success of this dynamic and rewarding co-curricular offering under the leadership of the 2026 Co-Captains, Isabelle Cao and Isabella Teoh.

Merran O’Connor

Debating and Public Speaking Coordinator