KWS Magazine 2013 Issue Two - Kinross Wolaroi School

PREP SCHOOLExpanding SkillsJunior debaters do their researchThe KWS Junior Debating team hasachieved the best result of its shortdebating history – finishing in thetop four of 50 schools in the HICESDebating Competition.The team comprised Year 6 students(pictured above fro L to R) OwenBloomfield, Max Summers, BelleHoyle Davies and Molly KnightHannan.Team coach Cathy Bloomfieldguided the talented youngsters andsaid it had been very rewarding tosee the group develop so well as ateam.Among the topics the group had toargue was: That students should notbe responsible for punishing otherstudents.“Our discussions and research haveexplored many interesting aspects ofmodern Australian life,” Cathy said.“I was proud of them usingterminology such as ‘this is a socialjustice issue’ with intelligence withintheir speeches – proof that they havetaken our discussions on board.”In their final debate the KWS teamand their opposition earned highpraise from the adjudicator, who saidthe standard was higher than mosthigh school debates.Year 6 meets Canberra’s movers and shakersYear 6 (pictured above) rubbedshoulders with the nation’s powerfulwhen they visited Canberra recently.The KWS students were in thenation’s capital to learn aboutAustralia’s history, culture, heritage22and democracy, but they alsomanaged to pose for photoswith Tony Abbott and exchangepleasantries with then Prime MinisterJulia Gillard.Their stop at Parliament House alsoincluded a visit with Member forCalare John Cobb, who kindly letstudents sit in his chair.A packed three-day programincluded visits to the NationalMuseum, Australian Institute of Sport,National Film and Sound Archives,National Zoo and Aquarium, OldParliament House, the ElectoralCentre and the National Gallery.Scintillating, scientific experiencesat Questacon, sight-seeing at MtAinslie and a valuable session atthe Australian War Memorial werefollowed by a superb role-playexperience at Parliament House.The excursion received supportfrom the Federal Government’sParliament and Civics EducationRebate Scheme and provided somewonderful educational and personalexperiences.