This was a superb start to 2025 with our St Kitt's International Academy Debating and Public Speaking club.
We began with a focus on body language skills for discussions and argumentation with our forthcoming debating competition.
We then turned to a newsround with a review of the fires in LA, Storms in the US and UK, the resignation of Justin Trudeau in Canada, the talk of a sale of Greenland and the passing of former President Jimmy Carter, as well as events in the Middle East and a potential ceasefire.
Talk of a boycott of England's cricket match against Afghanistan over the absence of women's cricket in Afghanistan and their women's team having fled to Australia generated our next debate:
'Should England boycott the match?'
Here the group divided over whether sport should be political or not, however, a majority did want not just England (and the men's team), but the world to make a stance and make a difference.
For warm-up we discussed holidays and New Year's Resolutions and these included:
Travel to New York
Christmas parties and Lobster
Playing with friends and family
Memorising π (!)
More Spanish
Higher grades
Healthier lifestyle
Better at sports and exam performance
Trying new foods
We then turned to a philosophical question on technology - 'what do you think has been the greatest invention by humanity?'
Answers included: clothing, farming, language systems and the car.
Greenland and the LA fires also inspired a debate on climate change and whether we should act now? Or if the focus should be Bezos/Musk style on Planet B and space?
The majority voted in favour of acting now at the second telling.
We also debated 'whether we should ban homework?' With 75% in favour. Whilst many recognised or saw benefits in terms of memory, reinforcing knowledge, the majority wanted more time to spend on other activities and sport.
We ended with various unseen examples from AI images to the epiphany King's Cake.
Well done all on a superb start to 2025!
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