Language Arts

Festival of Speech

Congratulations to all students that participated and competed at the Festival of Speech! Our talented speakers achieved the following places:

1st overall in Junior Division

3rd overall in Senior Division

2nd Overall

The annual igsa Festival of Speech was held at MLC Burwood on Friday 25 October and Saturday 26 October, with students from 28 schools in attendance.

On Friday 25 October, Junior and Senior Debating, Junior and Senior Readings and Theatresports was held. Congratulations to Lauren Korenblyum (Current 2024 Year 11, 2025 Year 12) for placing in the Senior Readings event.

Junior and Senior Public Speaking, Junior and Senior Poetry, Current Affairs, Religious and Ethical questions, Drama, Debating finals and Soapbox were held on Saturday 26 October.

Congratulations to our Senior Debaters who progressed to finals and to our Junior Debaters who progressed to the Grand final!

Congratulations to the following students:

Evelyn Zhu (Current 2024 Year 11, 2025 Year 12) – 1st in Senior Poetry
Jenny Xu (Year 10) – 1st in Senior Public Speaking
Estelle Lee (Year 8) – 3rd in Junior Public Speaking
Grace McSweeney (Year 9) – 3rd in Junior Soapbox
Leahara Wijesuriya (Year 8) – 4th in Junior Poetry

Thank you to our whole Festival team, you did us Pymble Proud!

Current Affairs

Kiki Chen (Year 10), Jemma Hung (Year 9), Amber Wang (Year 10)

Drama

Sehjal Baveja (Year 10), Mahika Swamy (Year 10), Verity Haslam (Year 10), Selina Huang (Year 10), Nikita Srivastava (Year 10) and Kristine Weng (Year 10)

Junior Debaters

Sophie Guo (Year 9), Isis Li (Year 9), Averie Sun (Year 9), Jacquelyn Zhu (Year 9)

Senior Debaters

Maya Garg (Current 2024 Year 11, 2025 Year 12), Kitty He (Year 10) and Amy Zhang (Current 2024 Year 11, 2025 Year 12)

Junior Poetry

Leahara Wijesuriya (Year 8)

Senior Poetry

Evelyn Zhu (Current 2024 Year 11, 2025 Year 12)

Junior Public Speaking

Estelle Lee (Year 8)

Senior Public Speaking

Jenny Xu (Year 10)

Junior Reader

Bella Yang (Year 8)

Senior Reader

Lauren Korenblyum (Current 2024 Year 11, 2025 Year 12)

Religious and Ethical questions

Zarina Nurlanov (Current 2024 Year 11, 2025 Year 12)

Catherine Shi (Current 2024 Year 11, 2025 Year 12)

Nicole Zhang (Year 9)

Soapbox Junior

Grace McSweeney (Year 9)

Soapbox Senior

Katherine Pan (Current Year 10, 2025 Year 12)

Theatresports

Chloe Brown (Year 10)

Dakota Jiang (Year 8)

Emma Wang (Year 8)

Debating

IDC Debating

IDC Debates commenced last Friday 25 October. Thanks to all teams and coaches. Next round is held this Friday 1 November. See schedule of debating times and locations:

Primary teams debate will commence at 6.00pm in DK9 and DK10
Year 7 teams debate will commence at 7.00pm in Lower RV
Year 8 teams debate will commence at 7.00pm in Upper RV
Year 9 teams debate will commence at 8.00pm in the IH classrooms (administration building).

Pick up for all students will be around flagpole area (enter via Gate 1).

2025 Junior School ISDA Auditions

Junior School ISDA Auditions for 2025 ISDA Debating will be held in Week 6 during lunch times. Interested students are asked to see Ms Itzcovitz in the Years 3 to 6 Library for an information sheet and to sign up for an audition.

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 subs can be arranged.

Debating Auditions

The debating audition schedule is as follows. Students should complete the expression of interest form by clicking here to indicate they would like to audition for a debating team, as well providing their interest for public speaking, mock law, and Model United Nations programs. Parents are required to provide permission for students to attend the audition via the Pymble app following their daughter completing the form. Please contact Co-curricular administration if you have any questions, or if you have missed your audition date and still wish to audition. All auditions run after school until approximately 5.30pm. Students should meet in IH3, except for Year 6 students, who will be collected from the Junior School library.

Tuesday 29 October – Current Year 6 students
Thursday 31 October – Current Year 7 students
Monday 4 November – Current Year 9 students not attending Vision Valley long stay
Tuesday 12 November – Current Years 10 and 11 students
Tuesday 19 November – Current Year 8 students
Monday 25 November – Catch ups and call backs
Tuesday 26 November – Catch ups and call backs

Public Speaking

Public Speaking auditions will be held in Term 1 on three consecutive Wednesday’s beginning on 19 February. Students only need to attend one audition date. Students should click here to express their interest in auditioning, with parents required to provide permission via the Pymble app around the start of Term 1.

Model United Nations (MUN)

Evatt

Maya Garg (Year 11) and Catherine Shi (Year 11) have now progressed to the Evatt National final, to be held during the next holidays. Congratulations to both students.

Catherine stated, “All the hard work and hours of preparation definitely paid off – we were delighted to come out of the competition as state champions! We are eagerly looking forward to representing NSW at the National Finals.”

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. The 16 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! We have heard we have been allocated Ecosoc and our country delegation will be Germany.

Mock Law

Mediation

Congratulations to our Mock Mediators and our coaches! The team was awarded 94/100 in their last mediation, the semi final. Congratulations on your progression to the Grand Final on 26 November. The event will be held at The Law Society premises. Times are yet to be confirmed.

Parents and friends who wish to attend. Please complete your registration to attend by clicking here: 2024 Mock Mediation – Grand Final Registration. Please note all attendees must be registered prior to the day of competition. Only people who have completed their registration will be allowed to enter.

Mock Law Auditions

Mediation will be open to Years 9 and 10 in 2025. Mediation trials have been held. Catch up Mediation trials will run after school on Thursday 21 November in classroom IH3.

Mock Trial is open to students in Years 10 and 11 and Mooting is available to students in Years 11 or 12. Places are limited as we only have one Mediation team, one Mock Trial team and one Mooting team. Please email Amber Wang, Captain of Debating, awang2026@pymblelc.nsw.edu.au or Mrs Hubbard BHubbard@pymblelc.nsw.edu.au with any questions.

Upcoming Programs and Events

LANGUAGE ARTS PARENT SUPPORT GROUP FOR 2025

A meeting is planned for 7.30pm on the Thursday 7 November. Please save the day if you are interested in joining and email your interest to Mrs Hubbard BHubbard@pymblelc.nsw.edu.au

The venue for the meeting is the Conde library studio where we will also be farewelling Mrs Sophia Fang, who has been our lead Language Arts Support parent for several years.

MINI LANGUAGE ARTS SHOWCASE

Save the date! A mini Language Arts Showcase and Christmas supper is proposed for Thursday 28 November in the Science Lecture Theatre/Drama Theatre.

Bronwyn Hubbard

Head of Co-curricular Language Arts