St Paul’s student leaders get Obama training in New Debating Society!
By: Anthony Head
Posted 14 September 2009
Members of the St Paul’s Debating society have been learning ‘yes they can’. Modelling themselves off a soundless projection of Obama’s address to the 2004 Democratic National convention, they learnt gestures, poise and eye-sectioning or ‘working the room’ from the young senator with a big future.
This is just one of the live oratory training sessions the club has enjoyed. Others include paired 10 minute non-stop talking about an unseen subject with no preparation; the art of Christian argument and the use of Classical rhetoric.
Debating coach David Hastie has been impressed by the oratorical skill of the incoming student leadership body:
“The debating programme has been great for the leaders: both our incoming Captains are members of the society and refined their acceptance speeches for the captaincy though the resources and advice of the club. All our other year 11 members are vice captains, house captains or prefects. It bodes well for the future of Christian advocacy in the world: kids are stepping up and, boy, can they talk! Give them a podium and I’d vote for them.”
Maybe a little Obama is in the room.
See St Paul’s debators and public speakers in action on the Soap Box between 10am and 3pm on Saturday 19 September at the St Paul’s Spring Festival and Open Day, 52 Taylor Road Cranebrook.