Wenona’s public speakers and debaters have had a term of notable success, from a North Sydney heat to grand finals in Brisbane and Sydney Parliament House, as well as a competition floor at Harvard.

The achievements began with our Year 10 team of Serena, Annie, Deborah, Elaine, Lucinda and Sarah, who were announced runners-up in the 2026 Independent Schools Debating Association (ISDA) competition. They argued the affirmative in a grand final that was so close that the adjudicating panel was split. The ISDA format provides teams with their topic just one hour before they speak. “We begin by completing a silent brainstorm,” said Sarah, explaining the team’s process, which they have been honing since they were in Year 7. “Then, we collectively write the first speaker speech. This allows us to construct a consistent case, so we can prevent contradictions in later speakers.”

For Serena, the ISDA season was only part of a remarkable term. Selected for the NSW State Debating Team from a field of around 120 students, she competed at the National Schools Debating Championships in Brisbane, where the team finished second after the in-round debates and progressed to the grand final, narrowly losing to Queensland. The topics were challenging. “We debated some incredibly interesting topics, such as ones regarding carceral feminism, Western peacekeeping in the global south, and in the grand final, whether people have ‘the right to be forgotten’,” Serena said.

In Public Speaking, Sienna (Year 10) progressed from the local heat of the NSW Plain English Speaking Award to the regional heat, one of only three speakers from a field of 17 to advance. Her prepared speech, “The Hypnosis of the Algorithm”, examined how technology companies shape our behaviour, arguing, “We don’t pay for these apps, which means that the true product is us.” “I was actually not aware of the competition before I was selected,” Sienna said. “I am a passionate speaker, and I was so honoured for this chance to showcase my skills and opinions.”

There was also exceptional news from the Dame Enid Lyons Oratory Competition, where Mia (Year 11) took the title at the final held at Parliament House. This competition has one of the most demanding formats in the speaking calendar: an eight-minute impromptu speech with just 15 minutes of preparation. Mia prevailed, perhaps assisted by her recent experience competing at a Harvard debating competition overseas in the last holidays. More detail on Mia’s achievements will come next week.

For any younger student tempted to try Public Speaking or Debating, Lucinda offers this encouragement: “Debating isn’t about speaking perfectly, it is about the points you make. People care more about what you’re saying than whether you say it perfectly.”