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St. Thomas Technical High Wins JIS Heritage Debate

October 25, 2003

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St. Thomas Technical High School came out on top in the Jamaica Information Service (JIS) Heritage Debate on Thursday (Oct. 23) at the Anglican Church Hall in Morant Bay, St Thomas. Top debater went to Head Girl of the school, Appollionia Davidson. The school received a trophy, book vouchers and replicas contributed by the Jamaica Public Service Company, the main sponsor of the debate.
Seaforth High School placed second and received a trophy and start-up accounts from the St. Thomas Co-operative Credit Union, while the Yallahs High School finished third and was presented with gifts donated by Splendour Pac in Yallahs.
The debates focused on National Hero, Paul Bogle, and the students argued the moot: “Be it resolved that Paul Bogle died in vain.”
“I’m overwhelmed. The other speakers were also good and I wasn’t sure that I was going to get it and now that I’ve won I’m so happy,” Best Debater, Appollionia Davidson told JIS News.
She said that her participation at a speaker’s competition held earlier this year helped her to develop her debating skills.
Commenting on the team’s performance, Raymond Scott, teacher at the school who guided the students in preparing for the competition, said they were “enthused” from the beginning and did all the research and wrote their speeches.
Secretary/Manager of the St. Thomas Parish Council, Clinton Gordon, in bringing greetings, commended the JIS for organising the event and said that it provided an “extra impetus for young persons to appreciate where they are coming from and to understand where they are going.”
He announced plans by the Parish Council to have a “Junior Council debate” on Thursday, November 20, whereby young persons from high schools in the parish would act as Mayor, Deputy Mayor and Councillors in the conference room of the Morant Bay Parish Council.
Regional Manager of the JIS, Winsome Vanhorne-Christie said that the JIS’ debates started in 1998, in St. Thomas, where some 40 schools from six regions participated at that time.
Mrs. Christie said that the JIS was planning to have a national debate in February next year, at the Seville Great House in St. Ann. She noted that winners of the parish debates would participate in that event.
Judges for the competition were Maureen Thompson, Senior Librarian, St. Thomas Parish Library; Rev. Agorom Dike, Pastor, Faith Baptist Church, and Yolanda Henry, Lecturer, Excelsior Community College.
Prizes were provided by the St. Thomas Co-operative Credit Union, Soft Sheens Products Limited, Ultimate World Auto Parts, Air Jamaica Limited and Digicel. Other sponsors included Chicken & More, Serge Island Dairies Limited, Juici Patties, Yallahs Farmers Store, S&A Supplies Splendour Pac and theSt. Thomas Parish Council.

Last Updated: October 25, 2003

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