Powerful Words

Words are powerful.  Just ask Grade 8 student Vincent Armstrong, now in his second year at King’s-Edgehill.  Vinnie is a dedicated student and athlete who has a passion for debating.  His initial contact with our KES community was through the summer Debate Camp on our campus.  As a young Grade 5/6 student he took part in the summer camp and, since his arrival as a Grade 7 KES student, he continues to hone his rhetorical skills as a debater.  Last week, Vinnie was one of the top 80 debaters from Grades 6 to 12 across Canada to take part in the online National Debate Seminar.  The Saskatchewan Elocution and Debate Association (SEDA) hosted this year’s event from Thursday, September 24th, to Sunday, September 27th.  “I learned so much about First Nations culture,” said Vinnie as he enthusiastically shared the reflections of his experience.  Speakers from the Treaty 6 Territory in Saskatchewan addressed the group daily, teaching the debaters about experiences of the First Nations through a variety of presentations, including: Aboriginal Myth Busters, Learning Circle Teachings, and the Ethics of Representation. “I also learned lots about how I can improve my debate skills for the future,” said Vinnie, reflecting on the inspirational addresses, including one by Tom Lawson, the founder of the Canadian Student Debating Federation.  I congratulate Vinnie on taking part in this level of debating competition; I can’t think of a better KES representative!