An inter-school debate took place on Monday 9th February at St. German's Cathedral, which was 'This House Believes the Exploration of Mars is our Greatest Scientific Endeavour'. This was to commemorate the installation of the Mars project for viewing.
The setting gave the evening a formal and memorable atmosphere, with choir performances and a poetry reading from the former Manx Youth Bard. Students from both schools presented their arguments clearly and respectfully, and the discussion was lively throughout. The dedication shown to research by both teams and preparation over the course of the last three months was clear through their efforts.
Although St. Ninian's High School did not win the debate, they performed strongly and contributed thoughtfully to the exchange of ideas. Ballakermeen High School was declared the winner, but the event was widely seen as a success for everyone involved, celebrating good debating, sportsmanship, and the shared experience of a unique venue.
Special mentions went to Yosif Tsvetkov for his clear focus on research and his natural, engaging style. His use of statistics was very impressive and worked well for his team throughout the debate.
A big thank you to all those who coordinated such a wonderful event.
