Teenagers showcased their debating skills at a competition at the weekend. Eighteen teams from around the Island took part in the 17th Annual Senior and Middle School Debate Tournament at the Bermuda College on Saturday.

This year?s event was hosted by the Bermuda Junior Service League and the Bermuda Debate Society and the prepared topic for debate was: ?This House Believes That Voting in National Elections Should be Compulsory.?

Event spokeswoman Aziza Ahad said: ?This event gives students an opportunity to develop ideas about pertinent topics and use their skills of persuasion to convince an audience and a panel of judges to see their points of view. The first two rounds were prepared debates on a topic that the students had been given weeks to research and structure proposing and opposing arguments.

?After progressing from the prepared rounds, the students were given the topic of: ?This House Believes that the Music Industry has a Negative Influence on the Youth? and allowed one hour to structure their arguments before debating against another team. In the final round, a panel of judges adjudicated the two teams in each division with the best scores from the first three rounds as they debated the prepared motion.?

Sharon Bean, Jasmine Cooke and Fredrika Hill of the Clearwater A team were the middle school champions and were awarded the Bermuda Debate Society Trophy.

The Warwick Academy team of Andreas Ratteray, Michael Cabot and Amber Wilson received the C.N.A. Butterfield & Son Trophy as the middle school runner-up. In the senior school division, Saltus A was declared the winner and Blake Sonnenfeld, Adam Kiki-Charles and Sasha Slayton were awarded the Victoria Cox Memorial Trophy.

Catherine Campbell, Stephanie Smith, and Christie O?Doherty of the BHS A team received the Bermuda Junior Service League Trophy for the senior school runner-up.

Individual prizes were given to Blake Sonnenfeld (Saltus A), Stephanie Smith (BHS A), Luisa Olander (BHS B), Sasha Slayton (Saltus A) and Aliyyah Ahad (BHS B) as the five top speakers in the senior school division; to Jillian Rinhimer (BHS A), Michael Cabot (Warwick Academy), Chelzea Somner (BHS B), Caitlin O?Doherty (BHS A), and Jasmine Cooke (Clearwater A) as the five top speakers in the middle school division.

Blake Sonnenfeld was awarded the Michelle Outerbridge Memorial Plaque for the Top Individual Senior Debater for the Impromptu. Aliyyah Ahad (BHS B) received the Victoria Cox Memorial Plate for the top individual debater in the senior school division. Jasmine Cooke (Clearwater A) received the Bermuda Junior Service League Plate for the top individual debater in the middle school division. Prizes were also given to Christiana Miles and Laurie Daniels for being outstanding coaches.