Language Arts

Debating

Archdale Debating – Shield and Invitational

Thank you to all Archdale Debaters for their dedication this past preliminary season. Our Year 7A and Year 9 teams were unfortunately knocked out in the semi-finals last week.

Congratulations to our Invitational Intermediate team who competed in the grand final on Tuesday 10 September. They were declared runners up.

Archdale Representative team

Congratulations to Kitty He (Year 10), Maya Garg (Year 11), and Amy Zhang (Year 11) who were selected for this prestigious team. Pymble debaters make up one quarter of the team! Enjoy the season girls. Pymble will host an Archdale representative round in the library on Monday 16 September from 5.30 to 8.00pm

Further Opportunities – Speakers’ Corner

Our Pymble debaters across all years have met with much success in the competitions offered through Speakers’ Corner. Alice Mao (Year 10) and Amy Zhang (Year 11) travelled to England earlier this year to compete in the finals at Cambridge, and some of our junior debaters have met with similar success in additional competitions. If you wish to provide further debating opportunities for your daughter, the following may be of interest.

Cambridge Schools Debating 2024 to 2025

Cambridge Schools Debating 2024 to 2025 will launch on Saturday 12 and Sunday 13 October in Sydney, like at Saint Ignatius’ College, Riverview. It will run from approximately 9.00am to 5.30pm both days. The competition will use the British Parliamentary style of debating, with 15 minutes of preparation time and Points of Information.

The cost is $220.00 per person. Speakers’ Corner will offer supervision and school staff will not attend. The competition is open to any student from Year 7 to 11. Winning teams will be invited to compete in Cambridge, UK, in March 2025.

Click here to register. The links to make payment are within the registration form. Optional training sessions will be held via Zoom in the weeks prior to the competition. Registration for the sessions is via the competition registration form, with a cost of $30.00 per session.

2024 Australian Schools Open

The 2024 Australian Schools Open is the first national in-person debating competition for schools. The winners will be the inaugural Australian Schools Debating Champions. This competition will take place on Saturday 21 and Sunday 22 September in Sydney, likely at Saint Ignatius’ College, Riverview. It will run from approximately 9.00am to 5.30pm both days. The competition will use the Australian 3v3 style of debating, with 30 minutes of preparation time.

The cost is $220.00 per person. Speakers’ Corner will offer supervision and school staff will not attend. Team members do not have to be from the same school. The competition is open to any student from Year 7 to 12.

Click here to register. The links to make payment are within the registration form. The deadline for registration is Saturday 14 September. Optional training sessions will be held via Zoom in the weeks prior to the competition. Registration for the sessions is via the competition registration form, with a cost of $30.00 per session.

Debating Notes

Debating Bootcamp – The Language Arts High Level Debating Bootcamp continues this Friday after school. A continued thanks to Maya Garg (Year 11), State Debating representative, and the Language Arts Captains for this initiative. Girls are on a steep learning curve!
IDC Debating – Term 4 – Teams will be released in the forthcoming weeks. Please ensure all registrations have been completed. We currently have 12 IDC teams ready to take on the world in international debating!
Absences – Debaters must inform Mrs Hubbard, their coach, and team, in advance if they will be absent for a debating round. We do not forfeit, and substitutes can be arranged.

Public Speaking

UN Voice Registrations

Pymble will host a UN Voice of Youth heat on Monday 14 October. In 2022, Jenny Xu (Year 11) was the national winner. Last year, Isis Li (Year 9) was the national runner up. This is a wonderful competition and is open to all. In the first instance, please email our incoming Public Speaking Captain, Jenny Xu at JIXu@pymblelc.nsw.edu.au to register interest. Please use UN Voice interest as the subject heading. Please copy Mrs Hubbard bhubbard@pymblelc.nsw.edu.au and Co-curricular Administration ccsa@pymblelc.nsw.edu.au into the email. You will then be invited to a workshop run by past winners, and registrations will be completed through Co-curricular Administration.

Junior Secondary School Speaking Award (JSSA)

Congratulations to Estelle Lee (Year 8) who competed in the JSSA regional round, which was held at The Arts’ Centre, Lewisham, on Tuesday 3 September. Estelle spoke well but unfortunately only one student was promoted to the state round. Well done Estelle!

Model United Nations (MUN)

Further Opportunities – UN Youth Junior Leadership Summit 2024

Junior Leadership Summit is a two-day non-residential conference for students in Years 7 and 8 taking place at the University of Technology, Sydney, on Saturday 21 and Sunday 22 September. Delegates will participate in thematic workshops based around a set theme and will enhance their communication, advocacy, and leadership skills through structured skills workshops. Assisting the development of these skills will be influential and inspiring guest speakers who will share their wisdom with the delegates. Pymble staff will not attend; however UN Youth staff will be present.

Click here to register. The cost is $70.00 per person.

Evatt

Maya Garg (Year 11) and Catherine Shi (Year 11) have progressed to the Evatt National final and will represent NSW at the National finals during the upcoming summer holidays.

UN Negotiations

Well done to our negotiators who competed in the first of their two preliminary rounds and are awaiting their second scenario.

57th Session of THIMUN – The Hague, January 2025

The Pymble Language Arts International Tour group have been accepted as the first Australian school to attend THIMUN at The Hague. Sixteen Language Arts students and three teachers will depart Sydney on Friday 17 January and travellers will commence Term 1 2025 on Monday 3 February. We are excited for this wonderful travel experience!

Mock Law

Mediation

Congratulations to our Mock Mediators and coaches! The team was awarded 94/100 in last weeks mediation semi-final. Congratulations on your progression to the grand final. Details to follow.

Mock Trial

Pymble hosted Ravenswood on Monday 2 September for the second elimination round. Pymble unfortunately lost this Trial. Well done team and coach on a great season!

Festival of Speech

The annual Festival of Speech will be held at MLC Burwood this year on Friday 25 and Saturday 26 October. A Pymble representative team will be formed over the coming weeks.and Saturday 26 October. A Pymble representative team will be formed over the coming weeks.

Bronwyn Hubbard

Head of Co-curricular Language Arts