Thursday 13th November saw Barrhead back at St Luke’s for another speaking competition. We were taking part in the Rotary Youth Speaks Competition.
For the first time we entered the Intermediate competition as well as the Senior competition. For our Intermediate team this was the first time they had ever taken part in a speaking competition. Jonathan Gibson (S2) was our chairperson, Tom MacKay (S3) our speaker and Lee McTernan (S2) was our proposer of the vote of thanks. The boys put on a brilliant performance, discussing whether or not we should bring back the death penalty, and thoroughly impressed the judges. So much so that they won and will now go on to the next round on the 1st February 2015.
Our Senior team was made up of Alexandra Campbell (S6) our chairperson, Fraser Lundie (S5) our speaker and Euan Stevenston (S5) our proposer of the vote of thanks. Again the team put on an impressive performance discussing the risk of remembering the past through rose tinted glasses and not seeing the merits of today. Jim Murphy M.P. referred to Fraser’s speech several times during his feedback to all the teams in the award ceremony. Unfortunately the team were pipped at the post. Several members of the Rotary and teachers from other ERC schools commented on the calibre of the speeches this year. We are very proud of both teams.
A big thank you goes to Mr Maybury for all his hard work getting the pupils ready for the competition.
Pupils interested in joining the Barrhead Speaking Club should meet in Mr Maybury’s room on Mondays at lunchtime.
On Saturday the 25th of March our S6 pupils, Daniel Cunningham and Richard Halligan, braved the snow and cold winter weather to take part in the semi finals of the ESU Mace Competition held at Fettes College in Edinburgh. They debated with great skill against the need to have trial by jury and received extremely positive feedback on their performance.
Although not successful in getting through to the final, we want to congratulate them for reaching such a high stage of a very tough competition, for their hard work and dedication and for continuously receiving high praises from both judges and audiences.
We hope that this will be the start of their successful debating career and that many others will follow in their footsteps!
Congratulations to the senior debaters, Daniel Cunningham and Jamie MacKenzie (S6) who argued the rights and wrongs of inheritance tax in St Columba’s School on Wednesday the 9th of January with great skill, poise and passion.
They were successful in winning the debate as well as progressing to the next round of the competition.We wish them all the best in the future rounds.
If parents wish to find out more about debating at Barrhead High School they should get in touch with the school by email and direct their enquiry to A Laitano or A Beaton in the English Department.
We are always looking for new members so any pupils interested are more than welcome to join!
Well done to Daniel Cunningham, Richard Barr and Richard Halligan (S6 pupils) who took part in the Barrhead Rotary Youth Speaks competition against other East Renfrewshire schools. The pupils gave speeches on the influence of social media in society. The standard of presentation was very high and the boys received very positive feedback from all of the judges and assembled teaching staff and parents, not to mention our own MP Jim Murphy, on their outstanding performance. They were praised for working extremely well as a team and being very confident speakers. In truth, at least we thought so, they stole the show!
The Rotary Youth Speaks is just one of many inter school and inter authority debates that have taken place and are scheduled to take place involving Barrhead pupils this year. The boys who took part last night have also competed recently in the English Speaking Union debating competition, winning their section and progressing to the second round while two of our S6 pupils will also be taking part in the Donald Dewar Memorial Debate in the near future where they will be discussing the rights and wrongs of inheritance tax! We also have a group of confident third year pupils who have taken part in inter school debates with Mearns Castle High School recently to great acclaim.
If parents wish to find out more about debating at Barrhead High School they should get in touch with the school by email and direct their enquiry to A Laitano or A Beaton in the English Department. If you are out and about in Paisley on Saturday the 20th you may also wish to pop in to the sheriff court where twelve of our S5 and S6 pupils will be lawyers for a day, prosecuting and defending in a real court of law together with real QCs and real judges!
East Renfrewshire Council
For the first time we entered the Intermediate competition as well as the Senior competition. For our Intermediate team this was the first time they had ever taken part in a speaking competition. Jonathan Gibson (S2) was our chairperson, Tom MacKay (S3) our speaker and Lee McTernan (S2) was our proposer of the vote of thanks. The boys put on a brilliant performance, discussing whether or not we should bring back the death penalty, and thoroughly impressed the judges. So much so that they won and will now go on to the next round on the 1st February 2015. 
Our Senior team was made up of Alexandra Campbell (S6) our chairperson, Fraser Lundie (S5) our speaker and Euan Stevenston (S5) our proposer of the vote of thanks. Again the team put on an impressive performance discussing the risk of remembering the past through rose tinted glasses and not seeing the merits of today. Jim Murphy M.P. referred to Fraser’s speech several times during his feedback to all the teams in the award ceremony. Unfortunately the team were pipped at the post. Several members of the Rotary and teachers from other ERC schools commented on the calibre of the speeches this year. We are very proud of both teams.
A big thank you goes to Mr Maybury for all his hard work getting the pupils ready for the competition.
