Topic is set as Rainmakers Debate team prepare to host weekend tournament

Charles Hays Secondary School on Prince Rupert Boulevard will be the
Thunderdome of Debate on Saturday as the Rainmakers Debate Team
hosts their Thunder and Lightning Debate event

They will be thinking on their feet and making generous use of the Thesaurus this weekend in the Multipurpose Room at Charles Hays Secondary, that as the Rainmakers Debate Team hosts their Thunder and Lightning Debate Tournament.

The first salvos of linguistic engagement will come shortly after 1PM on Saturday, with the event scheduled for a run until 4:30 PM.

The topic offered up for debate makes for a chance for much creative thinking and discussion as the teams will be asked to weigh in in on: 

"Whether or not the BC government should allow restaurants to save meat from roadkill"

Rainmakers Debate Coach Tom Kertes observed on how the topic for the debate came to pass.

"The idea for the resolution came from students. It's an interesting question that raises ethical, moral, economic, environmental, and health issues for the debate."

There are hopes to make this Saturday's event an annual addition to the student schedule across the Northwest, with Kertes explaining how such a tournament could help build the debate club project.

"There are not many high school speech and debate teams in Northern BC now. Our vision is to help other schools get started and having an annual tournament located in Prince Rupert can help those schools get started. 

Prince Rupert is central to many communities on the North Coast and is easier for teams from many areas throughout the North to drive to than to fly down to Vancouver or Victoria. 

Hopefully we can help develop speech and debate teams throughout our region in the future,"

Towards the Saturday event, the CHSS Team is still calling for volunteers to help out as judges for the verbal showdown.

Judges can contact Kertes at tomkertes@sd52.bc.ca or call 778-884-5343. 

There will be a training for judges from 11:00-12:00 on Saturday Nov. 5th with lunch available between the training and the tournament. 

You do not need to have prior experience or training to volunteer as a judge.

More notes on education across the Northwest can be explored through our archive pages.