Carmel College student wins debating competition at Hope University

“I hate football” is an assertion bound to spark discussion in a city like Liverpool – and fittingly enough, it was the title of the winning entry in a recent schools’ debating competition at Liverpool Hope University.

Schools from the archdiocese and beyond came together to take part in the competition and the winner was Keira Smith of Carmel College from St Helens, with her football-related speech.

Organised by the Catenians, the event took place on Friday 24 March at the university chapel with speakers addressing an audience of around 100 – including Archbishop Malcolm McMahon and the Bishop Emeritus of Hallam, John Rawsthorne.

Archbishop Malcolm presented the prizes with the assistance of the Catenians’ provincial president, John Gannon, and Keira Smith, the above-mentioned winner, received from the Archbishop the prize of the Hope Shield along with a cheque for her college.

The runner-up was Kostas Kuklys of Cardinal Allen Catholic High School with Addiction is not a choice. Meanwhile, third place went to Aymon Han of the Chester Catholic High School, who gave a speech titled ‘A country’s policy on educating girls impacts it's political, social and economic outcomes’.

The other competing schools were Archbishop Beck Catholic College, St Francis Xavier’s College, St Edward’s College and St Anselm’s College, Birkenhead. All contestants received a certificate and Amazon voucher.

The judging panel comprised Brother Bernard Fyles of St Helens circle, Judith Daley, a retired circuit judge, and John Dove, a senior crown prosecutor.

Charles Boulton, organiser of the event, said: ‘As always, the quality of the speeches was high and they provided a broad range of topics for our appreciative audience.

"Thanks are due to the Archbishop for his encouragement to the speakers and his enthusiastic support of circles throughout Province 4, and also to our sponsors, Mike and Anne Vickers of Chester circle, who generously sponsored the competition through their building company, Leverage Projects."