IISPSC 2016

Q: How do four debate students and two teachers fit into a small van? A: With difficulty. The IISPSC, the International Independent Schools Public Speaking Competition, gathers participants from all over the globe. Competitors hail from a range of countries including South Africa, the United States, Scotland, the United Kingdom, and Bermuda. Students are required to take part in three events that are each part of four different categories that represent all aspects of public speaking. The tournament, which spans four days, encompasses two rounds of each event, with the finals taking place on Sunday. On Thursday at 7am (on the dot, for some) three competitors set off to participate in the IISPSC, the first to represent Brentwood in the event. Arriving at Collingwood, the host school, around 12:30, we still had a few hours to practice our speeches a few final times before the events began.  The weekend was composed of multiple persuasive speaking, debate, and interpretive reading events, as well as a social that allowed competitors to get to know each other. All three competitors choose to participate in Interpretive Reading and Impromptu Speaking. Andrew W, Whittall ‘17, and Nicole C, Mackenzie ‘17, wrote persuasive speeches for the event, while Jaylynn B, Allard ‘19, participated in Parliamentary Debate. While no Brentwood students made it to the final rounds, judges had many good things to say about Brentwood competitors. The students returned to Brentwood late Sunday night, having been the first Brentwood participants in an event that the school will hopefully attend for years to come. Nicole C, Mackenzie ‘17