Isobel Fraser achieves success at the New Zealand Schools National Debating Championships
Our congratulations to Isobel Fraser who is now a double New Zealand representative debater.
The New Zealand Schools National Debating Championships were held last weekend with the Otago/Southland team made up of three Columba College Students: Penelope Hare (Year 12), Abby Bowmar (Year 13) and Isobel Fraser (Year 13). Our team were happy to make it to the semi-final where they were defeated by Auckland Blue and a link to this debate is included in this article if you would like to watch it.
At the end of the tournament the New Zealand representative team was named. Isobel Fraser is joined in the team by Isaac Mellis-Glynn (Auckland Grammar School), Lucy Jessep (St Margaret’s College), Millie Caughey (St Cuthbert’s College), and Ronan Payinda (Huanui College). Council is currently in the process of organising a trans-tasman tournament with Australia (and maybe some Asian countries) to take place after end of year exams, which this team will debate in.
Columba College debating would like to thank the coaches of the team, Connor Seddon and Georgie Lomax-Sawyers, and acknowledge with gratitude our strong links as a local debating community with the Otago University Debating Society without who Dunedin Schools' Debating could not happen.
Our debating club are looking forward to hosting former debaters and Columba College old girls Bridget Scott and Emily Williams on Monday. They are coming in and running a workshop for Columba debaters. Both students have debated all over the world at the highest level and are studying Law and Commerce at Victoria University. We feel honoured to host them and also acknowledge their ongoing passion, commitment and enthusiasm for debating as well as their willingness to commit time to their school and its debating club.