Fraser Heights Secondary debate students taking on nationals

Grade 10 Fraser Heights Secondary debate team students John Wu and Finn Liu will be competing at the Senior Nationals Tournament in April.

Members of the debate team at Fraser Heights Secondary are heading to the Senior Nationals Tournament, following an impressive fourth-place showing in the senior category at the provincial debates.

Grade 10 students Finn Liu and John Wu will compete in the Canadian Student Debating Federation (CSDF-FCDÉ) nationals in April, a showcase of the top debaters from across the country. As co-presidents of the Fraser Heights Secondary debate team, the duo leads 40 to 50 students in debate every week, sharpening their leadership and critical thinking skills.

"Fraser Heights probably has the biggest debate program in all of Surrey," said Wu. "We give them the opportunity to partake in debates, learn the skills they need to become more critical speakers, and to go to tournaments that they otherwise couldn't go to."

While debate tournaments are predominantly made up of teams from private schools, Wu and Liu said Fraser Heights Secondary has a long history with debate and tries to offer opportunities for students who can't afford private training.

"Some of these debate academies can cost around $400 per hour for some really good coaches," said Liu. "A lot of private school students get private training and most of the kids at Fraser Heights don't have that, so we're trying to provide feedback and run exercises like debate rounds to practice debate. And then at tournaments, they can apply the skills they learn in the club and actually experience what debate is like."

On the team, students practise debating a broad range of topics from law and politics to social movements and international relations. Liu said the provincials were a good opportunity to test their skills outside of the club against a higher calibre of competition with experienced judges.

"At provincials, you have what's called prepared rounds and impromptu rounds they give you some topics beforehand to prepare a pro and a con, known as proposition and opposition in debate," she said. "And then we also debated three rounds of unprepared topics where they give you 30 minutes to prepare.

"There's a really good discourse that goes back and forth," said Wu. "That environment and atmosphere have been a really great learning experience for all of us."

With nationals around the corner, Wu and Liu are expecting tough competition, being among the youngest in the senior category that includes opponents through Grade 12. However, they both acknowledged that age and experience aren't the only factors in debate.

"A lot of what makes you a great debater isn't as much the experience from previous tournaments or the money you've invested into classes, it's being able to critically think from different perspectives," said Wu. "When you can put yourself in someone else's shoes, that really elevates your skills."

Best of luck to Finn Liu and John Wu at the Senior Nationals Tournament!