After a spirited season of challenging topics and dynamic debate, the St Patrick’s Catholic School were announced champions of the St Patrick’s Youth Organisation (SPYO) and Investment Migration Agency’s 2024 Primary School Debate Competition at the finals on Wednesday, 27 November 2024.
After an impressive and close debate, the St Patrick’s Catholic School amassed 290 points, capturing the title and winning a cash prize of $5,000 from the Investment Migration Agency (IMA). Meanwhile, Mt Rose SDA Primary School captured the 2nd-place prize with 275 points, just 15 points behind the winning team and the Holy Spirit Catholic School took home the 3rd-place prize.
In addition to the team competition, individual participants were awarded the titles of Best Debater and Best Rebuttal Speaker. Anilia Philip of St Patrick Catholic School captured the award for best debater, while Rickel Simon of St Patrick Catholic School took home the award for best rebuttal speaker.
“Witnessing the enthusiasm and skill displayed by these young debaters reaffirms our belief in the power of public speaking and critical thinking in education,” said Brent Alexander, President of the St Patrick’s Youth Organisation. “We are incredibly proud of all the participants and their dedication to learning.”
“Today is a testament to the power of youth education and collaboration, and we at IMA Grenada are incredibly proud to be co-sponsors of such a meaningful programme. Youth development lies in the heart of our mission because we believe that every investment in young minds is an investment in the future of our nation,” said Claudette James, Operations Manager of IMA.
The event concluded with an awards ceremony where all participants received certificates of participation, and the top three schools were recognised. As the primary school debate competition wraps up for the year, organisers are already looking ahead to next year’s event, aiming to expand participation to the parish of St David and continue nurturing the debate culture within primary schools in Grenada.
This year marks the 8th year the organisation has hosted its annual Primary School Debate Competition showcasing the impressive talents of young debaters in Grades 5 and 6 from primary schools in St John, St Mark, St Patrick, and St Andrew. This is also the first year SPYO has collaborated with the IMA, whose partnership has ensured an enriching experience for all participants, encouraging critical thinking, public speaking, and teamwork among the participants.
The competition also received sponsorship from Rubis Caribbean (Grenada) Ltd, True Blue Bay Resort, Republic Bank Grenada Ltd, SOL Grenada Ltd, the National Lotteries Authority, Bryden and Minors, Grenada Bottling Company, and Ariza Credit Union.
SPYO
