During the final period of the school day on 30 June, instead of finding ourselves huddled up in the familiar Prevett Hall, a group of brave speakers and an attentive audience of teachers and students came together on the online platform Zoom to partake in, and bear witness to, a debate with the motion “Happiness is the Key to Success”. This year’s Middle School debate, though unique in its format, was no less entertaining and enlightening. Owing to the highly abstract nature of the motion, the debaters engaged in discussion in both a philosophical and practical sphere, ranging from the personal motivations for success they find in school to the very definition of happiness itself. It was a pleasure to chair a debate in which both sides argued with such conviction and so confidently, taking any obstacles in the way of debating online in their stride!
With Points of Information and assured Rebuttal in abundance, we also allowed for members of the audience to ‘raise their hands’ to ask some questions of their own following the main debate, to which our speakers replied with swiftness and poise. It was no doubt a hard decision for the audience to make when finally faced with a voting poll, in which the Opposition (“Happiness is not the Key to Success”) gained a majority.
Our thanks must go to all the speakers, who rose to the occasion so well, Mr Stock, for guiding us through all Zoom’s technical in and outs, and to Miss Efstathiou and Mrs Hall for putting together a debate which delighted and gave food for thought in equal measure, and one which will certainly go down in Habs history! The future of debating at Habs looks very bright indeed.
Kiana (Upper 6)
