Boishaaier 2024

Culture

ENGLISH DEBATING

Johann Obermeyer

Thanks to their commitment to nurturing their debating skills, the PBHS debating team achieved great success in both provincial and national competitions this year. The school fosters an environment that promotes critical thinking, effective communication and teamwork, all valuable skills beyond the debate floor. This develops learners’ adeptness in responding sensibly to global matters and sustaining constructive dialogue. The year began with a camp in February, where new debaters met their potential teammates and their new coach and Old Boy, Nathan Fobian. Formal rounds of the Boland debating league started in February and continued into the third term, yielding mixed results typical for a young team. The Boland league meets every Wednesday evening at Paul Roos Gymnasium in Stellenbosch.

Provincial debating began in August, and participants included Nicolaas Kruger, Zakariya Sader, Willem Joubert, Joshua Meyer, William Graham, Helgard Nolte, Stephan Badenhorst, Liam Kenmuir and Brannon Solomons. The provincial trials concluded positively, with our juniors making it to the final rounds and Helgard Nolte again being invited to train with the senior provincial squad. English debating is unforgiving in that it takes place outside of the normal extramural time slots and the learners must give a lot of what would otherwise be well-deserved free time to train, practise and take part. We look forward to what 2025 will bring.

English Debating Back: Brannon Solomons, Henco Swanepoel, Nicholas Rademeyer, Stephan Badenhorst, Avin Trytsman, Zakariya Sader, William Graham, Robert Harris, Zachary Govender Front: Warnich Frey, Liam Kenmuir, Ms E de Wet, Helgard Nolte, Mr J Obermeyer, Joshua Meyer, Nicolaas Kruger

ATKV Debat Agter: Bismarck van Eeden,

Stiaan du Toit, Wikus Visser, Dian Gildenhuys Voor: Robert Harris, Nicolaas Kruger, me E Götze, Rynard de Beer, me V Bestbier, William Graham, Brian Edwards

BOISHAAI 156 YEARS 75