Students impressed judges with their confidence, research, and teamwork at the Rotary Youth Speaks Competition.
Three dedicated teams from Oasis Academy Sholing represented the academy with pride and professionalism at the first round of the annual Rotary Youth Speaks Competition, held on Monday 12th January at King Edward VI School.
The teams were formed through the Academy’s Debate Club, which launched in late September. Over the past few months, students have committed time, energy, and passion to prepare for the event and their efforts were clear to everyone watching.
Although none of the teams progressed to the second round, each group delivered outstanding performances and received high praise from the judges.
Year 7 Intermediate Team Impresses with Research and Confidence
Our intermediate team, three enthusiastic Year 7 students, went head-to-head with a Year 9 team and held their own with maturity and poise. Their debate topic, “Technology is corrupting humanity,” was researched thoroughly and delivered confidently.
The team faced an additional challenge: they changed their topic just one month before the competition. Despite the tight timeframe, Joshua B, Antosh D, and Nathan F rose to the occasion. Nathan deserves special recognition for joining the team later in the process to complete the trio. Judges commended the group for their extensive research and strong delivery.
Year 10 Senior Girls Team Earns High Praise
Our Year 10 girls’ senior team, Chloe B, Lucy R, and late addition Evie R, came remarkably close to securing one of the two qualifying spots out of eight senior teams, some of whom included Year 13 students. Their performance on the topic “Fast Fashion should be illegal” earned them warm praise from the judging panel.
In their feedback, judges offered no constructive criticism, instead commending the team’s well‑structured argument, confident presentation, and use of humour, noting that the debate gave them “a lot to think about.”
Year 10 Senior Boys Team Shows Great Teamwork and Thorough Research
The Year 10 boys’ team, Alex T, Hugo D, and Teddy S, presented a well‑researched and engaging debate on “Intelligence: Nature not Nurture.” Judges highlighted the team’s effective use of humour and strong collaborative delivery.
A special mention goes to Teddy, who stepped in for teammate Joe C while he attended the Paris trip. His ability to join the team and perform confidently was noted and praised by the judges.
We extend our sincere thanks to all parents and carers who supported the students throughout their preparation and attended the event to cheer them on. Their encouragement helped make the evening such a positive experience.
Debate Club continues to grow in strength, and we look forward to preparing even more teams for next year’s competition. Debate Club runs every Thursday from 3–4pm in HE4, and all interested students are welcome to join.
We are incredibly proud of every student involved, they represented Oasis Academy Sholing brilliantly.