CO-CURRICULAR 127 ST PATRICK’S COLLEGE STRATHFIELD LUMEN 2024 DEBATING AND PUBLIC SPEAKING Mrs D Lombardo MIC Debating and Public Speaking “It is better to debate a question without settling it than to settle a question without debating it.” These timeless words by Joseph Joubert perfectly capture the spirit of debating at SPC. This year, we celebrated not just wins, but the camaraderie, growth, and resilience that define our debating fraternity. This season saw us compete fiercely in the Catholic Schools Debating Association (CSDA) competition, starting with our strongest-ever Public Speaking results. Our talented speakers across all year levels showcased remarkable skill, with Luca Serratore (Year 9) earning special recognition for his Grand Final victory in the Sydney-wide competition – a truly phenomenal achievement from a field of over 120 competitors. Congratulations, Luca! Throughout the season, our debating teams performed with passion and integrity. The dedication of our coaches - Mr Crino, Ms Capobianco, Mrs Porter, Mrs El-Kazzi, and Old Boy coaches Christopher Farag and Christian Bejjani (’19) — has been integral to our success. We also welcomed new additions to the team, including Ms Bartels as assistant, Mrs Metua as the Year 10 coach, and Mrs Al-Zahab as a regular adjudicator. Their contributions have enriched our program immensely. Our CSDA journey included many memorable moments: • Round 1: A strong start at home against Rosebank with 8 wins out of twelve debates. • Round 2: A bye, but we stayed sharp with SPC vs SPC matches. • Round 3: The Saint of Origin debate against Santa Sabina. Despite some incredibly tough losses, our debaters displayed admirable sportsmanship, though Santa Sabina claimed the overall rivalry title. • Round 4: A stellar performance against Clancy Catholic College, with 10 wins and two losses. • Round 5: Facing Christian Brothers High School Lewisham after a long hiatus, we walked away evenly matched at 6-6. • Round 6: Ending the regular season with an impressive nine wins and three losses against Domremy. In total, our teams achieved 50 wins and 22 losses during the regular season, with all but one team finishing with winning records. Our Year 10 B team shone brightest, advancing through elimination rounds and finishing as Grand Finalists at the Australian Catholic University against St Andrew’s. Despite narrowly missing the championship, this team’s journey was extraordinary. Their selflessness and teamwork, particularly from Christian Mouawad, Nino Di Girolamo and Roman Petrolo, exemplified the spirit of SPC debating. As always, our Year 12 debaters were the backbone of the program. Their intellectual curiosity, camaraderie, and leadership set the tone for the season. To these remarkable young men, and coach Christopher Farag (’19) who has been with the team since Year 8, we extend our heartfelt thanks and best wishes. You leave behind a legacy of excellence and community spirit. A program like this thrives on collective effort. Special thanks to our parents for their unwavering support, our coaches for their dedication, and our adjudicators for their expertise. Together, we have built a code of which we are so proud. Looking forward to the 2025 season and the return of the senior debaters of 2024 as coaches and adjudicators. Year 9 Public Speaking Champion Luca Serratore With Teammates And Supporters At The CDSA Metropolitan Grand Final Luke Bromfield, Elijah Tan And Jeremy Simonetto In Action Year 12 Debaters Luke Bromfield, Elijah Tan And Jeremy Simonetto At The Annual Staff – Student Presentation Night Debate
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