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SHS sweeps debating tournament
Selwyn House debating teams came away from last weekend’s Quebec Student Debating Association (QSDA) championships with the winners’ trophy in both the Junior and Senior divisions, as well as third place in the Senior competition.
The first-place Grade 11 team of Jarren Fefer and Nabeel Ahmed, and the third-pace Grade 10 team of Felix St. Onge Tavchandjian and Gabriel Trottenberg will now advance to the Senior Nationals, to be held at West Point Grey Academy in Vancouver in April.
Likewise, Joshua Cohen and Gabriel Di Bert (Grade 9), who took first place in the Junior division, will qualify for the Junior Nationals at West Point Grey.
In addition, Selwyn House senior debater Jarren Fefer was named top Senior speaker at the QSDA championships. This distinction qualifies Jarren to try out for the Canadian team at the World Schools Debating Championship, to be held in Bali, Indonesia in August.
The February 18 sweep was a triumphant cap to a highly successful weekend for Selwyn House, as this marks the first time the school has hosted the QSDA tournament on its own, with 36 teams participating.
With such a showing, it’s not surprising that the popularity of the Selwyn House debating club is exploding. Where there were once six active team positions up for grabs, there are now three times that many students vying for team positions.
Students who follow current events are becoming more interested in debating, and it’s not hard to see why. The issues up for debate at the QSDA tournament could not have been more topical; the final round was fought over fake news and the Alberta tar sands.
