Balance
Extracurricular Program
Extracurricular Program
Debating & Public Speaking
Students at CDS can begin debating in Grade 7 and enjoy an increasing number of opportunities to compete through Grade 12. By learning the art of debate, students build confidence, develop critical thinking and communication skills, and acquire a wider understanding of current and historical events.
The Debating & Public Speaking Club’s ongoing success over the past 17 years has contributed to its growth and popularity as more experienced Senior School students are keen to mentor younger students and help contribute to their skill development.
The Club at CDS has experienced another banner year competing on the world stage. Veteran Debating Coach, Kerstin Wyndham-West, has facilitated this club for more than 20 years and is extremely well respected among her colleagues and students worldwide.Latest Debating News
List of 5 news stories.
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Public Speakers Mark 19-Year Streak at World Championships
CDS’s top two speech and debate students competed at the World Individual Debating and Public Speaking Championships at Clifton College in Bristol, UK, from April 11-18. This was the 19th consecutive year that Kerstin Wyndham-West has qualified her students for this competition. She was accompanied by fellow coaches John Robinson and Andrea Davidson.Read More -
Students Qualify for Junior National Debate Championships in Winnipeg
Although CDS has been known for the strength of its speech and debate teams for two decades, only recently has a concerted effort been made to really build the program across the entire Middle School.This investment was evident at last month’s Junior Debate Championships in Ottawa, where six CDS students travelled to Ottawa with Coaches Wyndham West and Robinson. The group included two Grade 8 teams of Akshaya Chandarat & Aara Ko and Vivienne Chen & Isla Gunning and one Grade 9 team, Austin Cheng & Kenneth Wang. All three teams finished among the top half of competitors, with our Grade 9 team placing an impressive 10th out of 45 teams!Based on their performance, Austin and Kenneth have qualified for the upcoming Junior National Debate Championships in Winnipeg from May 7-10, marking the first time CDS has ever sent students to this competition. We wish them the very best! -
CDS Debaters to Compete at Worlds in Bristol, UK
Read MoreBest of luck to Adhya Chandradat ‘27 and Aneesa Khan ‘27, and their coaches Ms. Wyndham-West, Mme Davidson and Mr. Robinson, who will be competing in the World Individual Debating and Public Speaking Championships in Bristol, UK, starting this Saturday!This is the 19th consecutive year that CDS has qualified at least one student to compete against some of the top high school speakers and debaters from around the world. -
Speech & Debate Team Experiences Weekend Sprint with Multiple Triumphs
From Friday afternoon - Saturday evening, four members of our Speech & Debate Team participated in the Senior Provincial Debate Championships hosted by the Ontario Student Debating Union at Appleby College. Austin Chen and Kenneth Wang competed as a team, as did Adhya Chandradat and Aneesa Khan. The competition was fierce and the experience invaluable for all of them. And both Adhya and Aneesa will be going to the World Individual Debating & Public Speaking Championships in Bristol, England, in April!Read More -
CDS success in Nationals Speech and Debate Championship
By Kerstin Wyndham-WestLast weekend, Grade 11 student, Adhya Chandradat, travelled to Winnipeg to compete in the National Public Speaking and Debating Championships held at St. John’s-Ravenscourt School.Her persuasive speech on the dangers of artificially scented products was particularly well received and her humorous interpretive reading got rave reviews.Adhya finished in the top third at this highly competitive tournament with over 60 competitors, and she will be heading to Bristol in the U.K. in mid-April to compete in the World Individual Debating and Public Speaking Championships representing CDS and Team Canada.Congratulations on an excellent performance, Adhya!
CDS World Qualifiers
CDS Students have qualified for Worlds for the past 18 years (those listed in bold were WIDPSC Champions):
| 2025 |
Diviya Amarnath '25, Jack Brown '25 and Ananya Kapur '26 - Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia
|
| 2024 |
Sarah Croxon '24, Ethan Wahba '24 and Millie Steinmann '25 - Canberra, Australia
|
| 2023 | Sarah Croxon '24, Diviya Amarnath '25 and Millie Steinmann '25 - Durban, South Africa |
| 2022 |
Maria Ivoditova '22 - virtual due to COVID |
| 2021 |
Maria Ivoditova '22 - virtual due to COVID |
| 2020 |
Eliza Pasha '22 - virtual due to COVID |
| 2019 |
Anna Croxon '20, Anaïs Leiva von Bovet '19 and Maeve Tebbutt '19 - Toronto, ON |
| 2018 |
Anaïs Leiva von Bovet '19 and Maeve Tebbutt '19 - Cape Town, South Africa |
| 2017 |
Olivia Railton '17 and
Maeve Tebbutt '19 - Sydney, Australia |
| 2016 | Natalie Ganzhorn ’16 and Olivia Railton ’17 - Pittsburgh, PA |
| 2015 | Natalie Ganzhorn ’16 and Olivia Railton ’17 - Hong Kong, China |
| 2014 | Natalie Ganzhorn ’16 - Druskininkai, Lithuania |
| 2013 | Natalie Ganzhorn ’16 - Durban, South Africa |
| 2012 | Reid Dobell ’12 - Brisbane, Australia |
| 2011 | Lucas Regazzi ’12 - Brisbane, Australia |
| 2010 | Victoria Sienczewski ’12 - Druskininkai, Lithuania |
| 2009 | Genevieve Laurier ’09 and Rachael Andrew ’09 - Reading, U.K. |
| 2008 | Genevieve Laurier ’09 - Winnenden, Germany |
Competitions
List of 5 items.
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Canadian National Junior High Public Speaking Championships
Canadian National Junior High Public Speaking Championships was intended to offer junior high students an opportunity to showcase their public speaking talents. Based on the same events that exist at the Senior High Speech Nationals, this tournament welcomes students from all provinces with active debate and speech associations. -
Fulford Debate
CDS is a member of the Fulford League, a group of independent schools that compete in several tournaments to earn the Fulford Cup at the end of the year. -
International Independent Schools’ Public Speaking Competition
The International Independent Schools’ Public Speaking Competition gathers more than 150 high school students from countries across the world to compete for a chance to qualify for the World Individual Debating and Public Speaking Championship held every spring. -
Ontario Student Debating Union
Ontario Student Debating Union is a charitable organization that hosts and promotes competitive debate for Ontario students up to Grade 12. OSDU organizes a Provincial Championship every spring as well as a variety of regional debates and workshops. It also works with the Canadian Student Debating Federation and helps select students to represent Ontario at national and international debating events. -
WIDPSC – World Individual Debating and Public Speaking Competition
World Individual Debating and Public Speaking Championship is an annual international English language debating and public speaking tournament for individual high school-level students representing different countries.
LAND ACKNOWLEDGMENT
The Country Day School wishes to recognize and acknowledge the land on which the school operates. Our nearest Indigenous Nations are now the Mississaugas of the Credit First Nation and the Chippewas of Georgina Island. The Dish with One Spoon Wampum covenant is often cited as an example of the shared responsibility for caring for these lands among the Huron-Wendat, Anishinaabe and Haudenosaunee peoples who would call these their traditional territories. CDS respects the relationship with these lands and recognizes that our connection to this land can be strengthened by our continued relationship with all First Nations, by acknowledging our shared responsibility to respect and care for the land and waters for future generations.
School Information
Junior, Middle and Senior Schools
13415 Dufferin Street, King, Ontario L7B 1K5
(905) 833-1220
communications@cds.on.ca
admissions@cds.on.ca
Founded in 1972, The Country Day School is a co-educational private school offering programs in JK-12 and located on 100 acres north of Toronto in King.
13415 Dufferin Street, King, Ontario L7B 1K5
(905) 833-1220
communications@cds.on.ca
admissions@cds.on.ca
Founded in 1972, The Country Day School is a co-educational private school offering programs in JK-12 and located on 100 acres north of Toronto in King.
