INTERNATIONAL INTER SCHOOL DEBATE

*Stepping Stones Organizes Virtual International Inter-School Debate*

Principal Dr Angelo Michael D`Cruze

After successfully conducting many Morning Assemblies on Mondays like an assembly to pay gratitude to Fathers on the Father’s day, an assembly to appreciate the COVID Warriors and so on, the Stepping Stone School in India also ventured into conducting the Virtual International Inter-School Debate on 13th July, 2020. The topic for the Debate was, ‘Gen Z is the most privileged and not the most deprived generation’. All together 12 schools from Indian and abroad participated in this august event. 

Four Schools from abroad: VIII Prywatne Akademickie Liceum Ogólnokształcące, IB World School 006265, Poland, represented by Olga Oracz, a student of IBDP Year 1 and supported by Founder and Director Principal of PACK Schools  – Professor Jerzy Waligóra and Deputy Head of PACK Schools Ms. Anna Krzemińska-Kaczyńska, Gems Modern Academy, Dubai, Navi Bakhtar High School, Kabul, Afghanistan and Felix Klein Gymnasium, Germany participated in this Debate. As a part of our school’s outreach programme to interior parts of the world, the school from Afghanistan was specially invited to participate in the Debate. In spite of poor connectivity the participant Maryam Kishawerz convincingly presented her views for the motion.  Other participating schools from India were; The Heritage School, Kolkata, DPS, Delhi, The Bishop School, Camp, Pune, La Martiniere for Boys, Kolkata, Silver Oaks International, Hyderabad, The Frank Anthony Public School, Delhi, Aditya Birla World Academy , Mumbai and Stepping Stones High School, Aurangabad. All the speakers spoke persuasively and impeccably to prove their point. The participants, armed with statistics and data made their arguments more emphatic with their vivid facial expressions and voice modulation. They exhibited great oratory skill.

The competition was adjudged by the esteemed panel of Judges and they were Professor Sadhana Naithani, currently Professor in Centre of German Studies, Jawaharlal Nehru University, NSew Delhi. Mr. Sampreeth Reddy Samala, the Founder & Managing Director of Worldview Education and Mrs. Insiyah Rahim,the Director at Toddlers Nursery Preschools and is the Founder of Learn2Teach. The debate was chaired by the Principal Dr Angelo Michael D’Cruze.

The joint winners for the Motion were Tarang Rathi from The Bishop School, Camp, Pune and Mohan Rajagopal from La Martiniere for Boys, Kolkata. The joint winners against the Motion were Saahas Sagar Rao Kasuganti from Silver Oaks International, Hyderabad and Akshali Gugle from Stepping Stones High School, Aurangabad. The Debate went in favour of the Motion which said, ‘Gen Z is the most privileged generation ever’. The entire programme was live streamed on Facebook. The competition was an enthralling experience for the speakers as well as the audience.