The grand final victory of our Year 10 team in 2012, their debut year, in the NSW Inter-school Les Gordon History Debating Competition has created much interest amongst our budding historians here at Newington. Growing interest has led to two teams being entered into the competition for 2013. Our teams from Year 10 (debutantes) and Year 11 have had great success so far. Thirty two schools from across the state enter the respective Year group competitions and Newington has succeeded in making the semi-finals (the final four schools) in both Year 10 and Year 11.

Both teams were successful in their quarter finals last week against Kincoppal (Year 10) and Sefton High (Year 11). Both debates were of a high quality, especially the one against Sefton High – by far the strongest opponents we have faced in our experience in the competition. What is of added interest is that Newington was the only all-boys school left in the competition by the quarter final stage in each Year group (11 all-girls, 4 co-ed all up). We have obviously now consolidated upon this strong achievement by being the only boys school left in the final four. We are as yet, not aware of our semi-final opponents, but are preparing to face formidable opponents from Barker College, Tara Anglican School for Girls, James Ruse Agricultural High School or SCEGGS, Darlinghurst.

The boys involved should be congratulated on the hard work and dedication that they have put into this intellectually enriching extra-curricular activity. The Year 10 team is made up of Alexander Ianuzzi (10/MO), Callum Strachan (10/JN), Justin Ting (10/JN) and Jean-Luc Gallo (10/MO) (coached by old boy, Hugh Piper (ON 2011). The Year 11 team, which is trying to retain the title from last year is made up of, Sean Hatten (11/ME), Ben Adams (11/FL), Samuel Wallace (11/MO) and Sebastian Rees (11/PR). We wish these boys all the best in their efforts to hopefully make the grand final!

Mr Marco Scali
History Teacher