On Thursday 13 March our Year 12 History Debating team made up of Ben Adams (12/FL), Sean Hatten (12/ME), Sebastian Rees  (12/PR) and Samuel Wallace (12/MO) won the 2014 Les Gordon History Debating Competition Grand Final against Good Samaritan School, Hinchinbrook. The boys successfully affirmed the premise that “the historian is more important than history itself” and came home with back to back competition wins.

This is the first time any high school has won the competition consecutively, and the boys did this in style with a record of 12 wins over the last two years which has culminated in this enviable title. The three adjudicators came to last Thursday’s decision unanimously – a fantastic achievement!

The event was held in our very own Prescott Hall, certainly a fitting venue for such a distinguished event.  Our guests, who were accompanied by a strong supporters crowd, were pleased to receive a warm Newington welcome from boys, staff and parents who also attended the event in good numbers.

Our boys have certainly gained a formidable reputation for their performances over the past two years and will soon gain wider notoriety by appearing in the journal of the NSW History Teacher’s Association, Teaching History. Similarly the students of Good Samaritan School, who had defeated some very experienced debaters to reach the Grand Final, acquitted themselves very admirably both in argument and delivery.

The boys should be commended for their exceptional achievements and for representing Newington History with such distinction over the past two years. They are a true credit to our College.

Mr Marco Scali
History Teacher