Ten Years of World-Class Public Speaking and Debating

Having qualified earlier this year to join the Canadian team of 15 participants from across the country, two CDS public speakers, Olivia Railton (Grade 12) and Maeve Tebbutt (Grade 10) travelled to Sydney, Australia in early April to compete in the World Individual Public Speaking and Debating Tournament, held at Ravenswood Girls’ School. This is the 10th consecutive year that CDS has sent either one or two representatives to this prestigious and challenging tournament.

The 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. The Championship is represented by a diverse mix of both public and private high schools from countries as far reaching as the Australia, Hong Kong, Canada, the United States, China, England, South Africa, Lithuania, Pakistan, Cyprus, India, and South Korea.
 
The Championship is an innovative five-day event which requires students to interact and collaborate with like minded peers from diverse and different schools, cultural backgrounds and countries. Each participant must compete in four different events: Debate, Impromptu Speaking, Persuasive or After Dinner Speaking and Interpretive Reading.
 
The Championship is aligned with the ideals of excellence, identity, the art of expression, and the ability to communicate and gain recognition and respect for one’s ideas and opinions. It targets tomorrow's leaders - students in a global market who must learn to interact and collaborate with peers from diverse schools, cultural backgrounds and countries.
 
Maeve qualified for three out of four Finals: Impromptu Speaking, Interpretive Reading and Persuasive Speaking, finishing 6th for her speech focussed on the increased levels of violence faced by aboriginal women in Canada, and the Government’s and the RCMP’s lack of action on the matter. She placed in 11th place overall, which was an amazing achievement for a student only in Grade 10!
 
Olivia was a Finalist in all four finals and finished first in Debating. She finished fourth in Persuasive Speaking, with her speech centred on looking to a solution of legalizing and regulating drugs such as cocaine and heroin in order to loosen the stranglehold of narcoterrorism on the world.
 
Olivia was also the Top Speaker Overall and is this year’s WIDPSC Champion. Congratulations to both girls on their outstanding accomplishments!

Support, Know & Inspire

Below is a snapshot of CDS students Debating Coach Kerstin Wyndham-West has helped to qualify for Worlds during the past 10 years:
 
YearStudent QualifiersWISPSC Location
2017Olivia Railton ’17 and Maeve Tebbutt ’19Sydney, Australia
2016Natalie Ganzhorn ’16 and Olivia Railton ’17Pittsburgh, PA
2015Natalie Ganzhorn ’16 and Olivia Railton ’17Hong Kong, China
2014Natalie Ganzhorn ’16Druskininkai, Lithuania
2013Natalie Ganzhorn ’16Durban, South Africa
2012Reid Dobell ’12Brisbane, Australia
2011Lucas Regazzi ’12Brisbane, Australia
2010Victoria Sienczewski ’12Druskininkai, Lithuania
2009Genevieve Laurier ’09 and Rachael Andrew ’09Reading, U.K.
2008Genevieve Laurier ’09Winnenden, Germany
 
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Land Acknowledgment

CDS wishes to recognize and acknowledge the land on which the school operates. For thousands of years, these have been the traditional lands of the Mississaugas of the Credit First Nation. We also recognize the traditional territory of the Huron-Wendat, Anishinaabe and the Haudenosaunee peoples who also shared this land.  CDS respects the relationship with these lands and recognizes that our connection can be strengthened by our continued relationship with all First Nations, by acknowledging our shared responsibility to respect and care for these lands and waters for future generations.

School Information

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.