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 20 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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CDS Students Set to Shine on the International Public Speaking Stage
Next week, CDS is sending three students to compete in the International Independent Schools' Public Speaking Competition (IISPSC). Students from China, South Korea, India, Bermuda, Canada and the U.S. will be convening on the campus of Maclachlan College in Oakville for three days of camaraderie and stiff competition.Read More -
CDS Named Top School at Early Bird Debating Tournament
Last Saturday, Isla Gunning ‘30, Charlize Bianchi ‘29, Sasha Nigul ‘28 and Andrea Mascan ‘27 travelled to St. Clement’s School in Toronto to compete in the first debating tournament of the school year, the Early Bird Tournament.Read More -
Debating 2025/26 ends with a surprise
Read MoreOur three CDS students who qualified to represent Ontario back in January, travelled to West Point Grey Academy in Vancouver from May 27-31 to participate in the Junior National Championships. Students competed in four categories over three days. Special mention goes to Isla Gunning who was a finalist in impromptu speaking and who placed 14th overall. Aara Ko’s interpretive reading was particularly well received, and Austin Cheng did very well in the persuasive speech category. Congratulations to all three students for representing CDS proudly. -
18th Annual JS Public Speaking Results
Read More"Speech is power: speech is to persuade, to convert, to compel." — Ralph Waldo EmersonLast week, the students in Grades 4, 5, and 6, along with their teachers and families, gathered in the Paul C. Duckett Theatre to witness their classmates compete in CDS’s 18th Annual Junior School Public Speaking Competition. -
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
CDS World Qualifiers
CDS Students have qualified for Worlds for the past 19 years (those listed in bold were WIDPSC Champions):
| 2026 |
Adhya Chandradat '27 and Aneesa Khan '27, Bristol, UK
|
| 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.
