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NBCHS teacher receives provincial award for work in debates

Oct 22, 2018 | 2:00 PM

In an age of often prevalent unhealthy debate, fostering an environment of understanding and a reasoned approach to discussion is key.

In the Battlefords, an educator at North Battleford Comprehensive High School was recognized for her contributions to this, receiving the Willis S. McLeese Award for her outstanding contribution to Canadian student debate.

Lynne Thompson has been a key facilitator in the school’s debate program for over 13 years. She appreciates the bounty of opportunity within the program for students, being it hardcore multigenerational debaters, or those in the Friends of Debate program, who don’t debate but assist others in framing their arguments. 

Many who have passed through the extracurricular program have gone on to work in all corners of the globe, including the United Nations. 

“It has been very rewarding over the time I have been lucky enough to work with them. The school has been very supportive and the division has been very supportive of debate,” she said.

A handful of her students won the Spirit of Debate award, which recognizes students for their involvement in debate through the Saskatchewan Elocution and Debate Association.

She and her four teams recently returned from a tournament in Saskatoon in preparation for a provincial debate event set to take place in North Battleford on March 16.

“We are thrilled to be hosting,” she said, noting it is the first time during her tenure with the club the event will take place in the Battlefords. 

Students participate in either prepared or impromptu debate formats. The former sees students receive their resolution well in advance of the debate, while the latter, students only receive the resolution 30 minutes before. Three more debates are scheduled for the students before provincials in the city.

Thompson hopes each debater learns the importance of a reasoned approach to debate and an understanding there is always two or more sides to an argument.

“Until such a time you have a good understanding of the topic you are debating, I think you have a hard time being unbiased,” she said. “What I like about debating is they have to debate both proposition and opposition and they have to have an understanding.”

tyler.marr@jpbg.ca

On Twitter: @JournoMarr