Oratory Article
Last Friday’s Competition Debates
Last Friday night saw our Eastside Years 7 and 11 teams progress to the Grand Final of that competition. We congratulate the following students on reaching the heights of their competition, having overcome many incredibly talented teams throughout the preliminary season. Although they both came runners-up, the debates were incredibly close, especially with a split decision for the Year 11s.
Eastside Year 11 team:
- Edward Brennan
- D’Arcy Richardson
- Jax Taylor
- Thomas Harnett
These students debated against Sydney Boys High on the affirmative side of ‘That we oppose the narrative that members of opressed groups have special obligations to other members of that group.’
Eastside Year 7 team:
- Owen Jarrett
- Kyle Liu
- Jack Dempsey
- Steven Haritos
- Max Khan
These students debated against Sydney Grammar on the affirmative side of ‘That there should be a maximum age limit for politicians.’
Last Friday also saw the ISDA Year 8s, 9s, and Senior As all debate in the Semi Final of that competition. Unfortunately, our Years 8s and 9s did not win their debates against Wenona and Trinity, respectively, though we commend them for their strong performances. To reach this level in what is the largest independent schools competition in NSW is a tremendous achievement.
ISDA Year 8 team:
- Rahul Loomba
- Felix Evans
- Finn Dusseldorp
- Peter Wang
- Ethan Goldberg
ISDA Year 9 team:
- Simon Tesvic
- Henry Roberts
- Henry Moore
- Eric Mallam
- Nathan Aspres
While the ISDA journey has now ended for these debaters, our Senior A debaters won their Semi Final debate on Friday and now progress to the GRAND FINAL next Friday 14 June. Read below for details and to reserve a seat in Packer Theatre. We’re not just in the debate, we’re hosting it!
Join us for the Senior A Cranbrook vs Sydney Grammar debate on Friday 14 June
We are thrilled to invite members of the Cranbrook community to watch our Senior A debaters take on Sydney Grammar in the Grand Final of the 2024 ISDA Competition. This is a significant achievement for the following Year 12 students, who we wish the very best next Friday 14 June:
- Caspar Nicholson
- Robert Wyer
- Angus Malcolm
- Alex Hong
- Jack Stone
Use the QR code to book a free ticket for a seat in Packer Theatre – the place to be! Get in quick since Grammar will surely be snapping up tickets for their supporters, too.
Competition Debating remaining this term
Competition debating continues until the penultimate week of Term 2:
| Week | Date | Debating that night |
| 6 | Friday 7 June | No debating due to long weekend |
| 7 | Friday 14 June | CAS trial debates (3.30-6.00pm) and ISDA Grand Final (Home) |
| 8 | Friday 21 June | CAS pre-season training evening |
| 9 | Friday 28 June | No debating due to end of Term 2 |
Term 3 competition debating dates will be confirmed following the CAS trial debates on Friday 14 June.
Mooting Nationals Update
On Saturday 1 June, mooting students James Rivlin, Caspar Nicholson and Owen Woolford journeyed to the Gold Coast with their coach, Mr Nicholas Hanrahan, for the finals of the 2024 National Schools Mooting Competition. Hosted by Bond University, the competition saw some 70 teams from across Australia and New Zealand to participate in legal debates.
From their website: “Mooting is the oral presentation of a legal issue or problem against an opposing counsel and before a judge. It is perhaps the closest experience that a student can have to appearing in court. Moots are judged based on the advocacy skills of their participants – your ability to present clearly, construct an argument, outline facts and precedent cases and more – rather than the merits of the mock case itself.”
Owen and James spoke as appellant for Cranbrook, assisted by Caspar. The mock case related to an out-of-control backyard party where petrol was used on a BBQ to “hot things up”. The focus of the two sides was to determine whether an appeal in a case where the individual concerned was found to have been reckless or not. Cranbrook took on Kings (as the respondent) in this round. It was an excellent moot, acknowledged by the presiding panel of judges.
What was most impressive from students – Cranbrook and others – was the way they deftly dealt with interjections from the judging panel throughout their speeches. Having to stop mid-point, listen, evaluate and proceed to answer before returning to prepared material is no small feat. To do so while citing actual legal precedents and principles added much complexity and interest to the event.
Over lunch, the 12 teams who were flown up to the sunny Gold Coast (much nicer weather than the downpour we heard about from family and friends in Sydney) for the Semi Finals learned who progressed to the Grand Final. Cranbrook was selected alongside Fintona School in Melbourne. The quality of speeches given to get to this stage was most notable when one of the judges from the Semi Finals noted they had planned to go home after the Semi Finals but wanted to stay to see Cranbrook compete in the ultimate round.
The Grand Final was a repeat of the same moot – though with different judges – with teams having just 30-minutes to make amendments to their cases. Owen and James spoke their best yet and the decision took the esteemed panel of retired and current judges some 30-minutes to deliberate!
While we did not win in what was an immensely professional and high quality final, Cranbrook has the honour of coming runner-up in this prestigious national competition. We congratulated the team and coach at this week’s Whole School Assembly.
Friends of Public Speaking: save the date
Family and friends of students involved with our Monday afternoon Public Speaking Club are asked to save the time and date of 6-8pm on Tuesday 18th June for a special evening, to be hosted in the Governor’s Ballroom. Students will be showcasing speeches they have been working on.
Upcoming oratory events
- Model UN on lunchtimes Wednesday 5 and Thursday 6 June
- Harvard Model UN Conference on all day at UTS from Thursday 6 to Sunday 9 June
- Mock Trial and Social Debating 3.30-5.30pm Thursday 6 June and Thursday 13 June
- CAS competition debate trials, followed by the ISDA Grand Final on Friday 14 June
- AMEB Voice and Communication group from 3.30-5.00pm Friday 14 June
Note there are no oratory activities on Friday 7 June due to parent teacher evening or on Monday 10 June due to the public holiday.
Annual House Debating Competition continues
We are now into the second round of the junior house debating competition, with the following houses going into verbal battle this Thursday for a chance at the Semi Finals:
| Debate | Houses | Sides |
| 1 | Hone | Affirmative |
| Strickland | Negative | |
| 2 | Davidson | Negative |
| Cutler | Affirmative | |
| 3 | Northcott | Affirmative |
| Chelmsford | Negative | |
| 4 | Thomas | Negative |
| Perkins | Affirmative |
Teams will debate the topic: ‘That imagining it were possible, we would support a world where every person’s daily online usage was capped (i.e., once a person reached a certain amount of time each day, their ability to access the internet would be stopped. This includes accessing it from someone else’s devices. The internet would not work for them.).’
Our senior division is already at Semi Final stage, with the following teams poised to debate next Tuesday lunchtime:
| Debate | Houses | Side |
| 1 | Strickland | Negative |
| Harvey | Affirmative | |
| 2 | Hone | Affirmative |
| Northcott | Negative |
These teams will debate the topic: ‘That imagining it was possible, we would support a world where it was possible to access every detail of every single personal memory we’ve ever had since birth. Once accessed, it would be necessary to play out the entirety of a specific memory until the end, during which all senses would be evoked.’
We look forward to what will surely be another set of outstanding and entertaining speeches!
Oratory programmes sign up for Semester 2 opens next week
Students interested in signing up for one or more oratory programmes on offer for Semester 2 will receive an email next week inviting them to do so. Programmes on offer include:
- Public Speaking every Monday 3.30-5.30pm
- Social Debating every Thursday 3.45-5.45pm
- Legal Debating every Thursday 3.45-5.45pm
- Model UN during lunchtimes and extra coaching opportunity available (timing TBC)
There will also be additional opportunities to participate in debate training workshops and external competitions throughout Semester 2, including the International Debating Championships in Term 4. Details will be passed onto students directly and published in these weekly updates. Please note that we do not accept parent sign ups on behalf of students.
Contact
Should you or your son have any further questions about any of Cranbrook’s oratory programmes, you are welcome to reach out to the Head of Oratory and Student Journalism, Mr Benjamin Smith, at bsmith@cranbrook.nsw.edu.au. In the first instance, students should be making contact about getting involved.
Essential information and highlights for parents will be posted here on Cranbrook Connect as part of the Thursday Link. Students involved in oratory programmes will receive updates via their respective Canvas or TEAMS channels.
Benjamin Smith
Head of Oratory & Student Journalism