Wednesday afternoon saw six debating teams battle it out in the Grand Final for our 2019 Coomera Alliance Debating Competition. This competition is in its second year and has brought together 10 local primary schools to compete in a number of debates across Term 4. The two top performing teams from Years 4 to 6 were then selected, based on their number of wins and point totals, to represent their school in the grand final. Coomera Rivers was lucky enough to have 3 teams represented on Wednesday, although lucky isn't the right word. They worked so very hard and were very deserving of this position.

The calibre of speakers at these debates was nothing short of impressive and each debate was exceptionally close. The adjudicators, Mrs Kristine Lennon from Gold Coast Toastmasters, Mrs Kym Amor, Principal from the new Foxwell Secondary College and Ms Ceilia Norling, Deputy Principal from Pimpama State Secondary College, had an incredibly tough job and all walked away completely blown away with how talented our students performed.

Coomera Rivers year 4 and 6 teams walked away victorious and the Year 5's came in very close. This is a remarkable feat given students only had 5 school days to research and prepare for their debate. To formulate a strong team argument, prepare a speech and then deliver it with conviction in such a short space of time is something most adults would struggle with.

The results were as follows:
Year 4 - Coomera Rivers vs Coomera Springs
That teachers can be replaced by computers
Coomera Rivers Negative

Year 5 - Coomera Rivers vs Norfolk Village
That boys have it better than girls
Coomera Rivers Negative

Year 6 - Coomera Rivers vs Pimpama
That freedom of speech is a fallacy
Coomera Rivers Affirmative

So the decision at the end of the night was that teachers are irreplaceable, that boys have it better than the girls and the idea that we have freedom of speech is false.

Congratulations to the following students:
Year 4 Grand Final Team: Georgina B, Amber J, Jaxon D and Harriet H.
Year 5 Grand Final Team: Hannah C, Kai J, Porsche B and Abbey S.
Year 6 Grand Final Team: Kilarney C, Isabella L, Imogen R and Georgina P

Contributing to the team's success in making it to the grand final were also these students:
Year 4: Ariana T, Wyatt S, Tiarna N and Alyssa D.
Year 5: Kalen J, Taliea G, Christian P and Tiana Y.
Year 6: Ava O, Laila O, Zharia H and Isabella W

We also had some students take out some very special awards. These awards were determined from the points accumulated from all the debates and could have gone to any student from any school.

Year 4
Most Outstanding Speaker: Georgina B
Most Improved Speaker: Jaxon D
Most Improved Team: Coomera Rivers Team B (Wyatt, Tiarna, Alyssa & Amber)

Year 5
Most Outstanding Speaker: Porsche B

Year 6
Most Outstanding Speaker: Imogen R

Congratulations must also go to each and every teacher who mentored, inspired, encouraged and supported our students in developing their debating skills. For some of our teachers, this was their first experience at debating too. The improvement in our students' confidence and skill was tangible.

Year 4: Ms Parker, Ms Conroy and Ms Bray
Year 5: Mrs Comley, Ms Stuurstraat and Ms Kendall
Year 6: Mrs Wager, Ms Findlay and Ms Dare

We are genuinely looking forward to the competition next year and we know that our students and teachers, as well as those from our neighbouring schools, are as equally excited.