Confidence and character carried SAC students to the annual Frayne Speech Festival 

Confidence and character carried SAC students to the annual Frayne Speech Festival 

On Friday 29 August, St Aloysius joined 12 other Mercy Schools at the annual Frayne Speech Festival.  This year the event was held at Sacred Heart College, Kyneton, Victoria.  Accompanied by teachers Ms Lucy Combe and Ms Lucyna Zwolski, students competed in debating and public speaking.

The Year 10 debating team – Saachi, Leila, and Gianna – proudly represented SAC with enthusiasm, confidence, and distinction. They competed in two debates: first as the negative team, arguing that water restrictions should be reintroduced in metropolitan Melbourne to address long-term drought risks. Despite presenting a strong case, they narrowly lost by just one point. In their second debate, they took the affirmative position that the VCE should be replaced with a more flexible, skills-based assessment system, which they convincingly won by three points.

The students were commended for their thorough preparation, teamwork, and the clarity with which they delivered their arguments. Their effective rebuttals, persuasive language, and fluency were also highly praised.

Through this experience, the team not only represented St Aloysius with integrity but also gained valuable insights into debating under different rules. The competition provided an opportunity for them to further develop their confidence, broaden their skills, and strengthen their character.

Students commented:

“The Frayne Speech Festival was a great experience that strengthened my debating skills and encouraged me to engage with topics beyond my comfort zone. I especially valued observing the strengths of fellow debaters and thought the voice choirs were great fun to see!”  Gianna

“Feeling so inspired and grateful after spending two days in Melbourne at the Frayne Speech Festival. I loved meeting new people, hearing diverse  voices and ideas, and challenging myself in the competition. I’m super proud of my team and feeling so motivated and eager to continue developing my speaking skills.” Leila

“I enjoyed hearing the voices of other students in Australia, and I was intrigued by the nuance and depth of their speeches.” Sarah

Year 11, Mazabeen (Sarah) represented SAC in the public speaking section of the competition with an illuminating speech based on the notion, History Has its Eyes on Us.  Sarah used this prompt to discuss the importance of encouraging more young people from South Asian Australian backgrounds to study Humanities and the Arts.  The adjudicator was so impressed that she suggested Sarah send her speech in the form of a letter to The Hon Jason Clare, Federal Minister for Education!

Ms Lucy Combe
Public Speaking Coordinator

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