for tourists.

That is the result of the Spice Valley Middle School's M2 annual debate competition wining team Janaya Raynor, Stephanie Corday, and Zarha Muhammad.

The team took the affirmative argument right to the loosing team of Keith Smith, Allana Brown, and Neva Lightbourne in a closely fought battle on Thursday morning.

Although Allana Brown won the Most Valuable Player award for her lively contribution and relevant `points of information', it was not enough to win the prized trophy donated by exempted company Johnson and Higgins.

The school's principal, Patricia Holder said: "I thought it was very close.

But I do feel the affirmative won.'' "I am very impressed by the standard of the debate. They make their points well,'' she added.

Preparation for the debate competition lasted for more than a month and the students did enormous research in between studying for final exams.

"I've been going on my computer and looking in the newspaper and TV news as well,'' Stephanie Corday of Paget said.

Her partner Zarha Muhammad also of Paget, said she had also used the newspaper "or a reliable source''.

"We also used tourist guides and we interviewed a tourist,'' added Janaya Raynor of Warwick.

Talibah Simmons, Alexander DeCouto, and Michael DeLeon were victorious in the middle school one competition in debating the topic of whether smaller hotels are better in caring for Bermuda's tourists.

At one point, Talibah told the affirmative side "I do not consider $295 a night a reasonable vacation!'' to loud approval from the audience.

She was challenging the assertion that bigger hotels provide a more quality vacation for tourists.

Talibah's team was also in a close contest with the affirmative side of Kallisha Edwards, Richard Arnold, and Stephanie Outerbridge.

National debate coach and Spice Valley teacher Gladstone Thompson said debate provides the missing link in the curriculum.

He said: "It gives them the chance to develop the skills to verbally articulate what they learn in the classroom.'' "It's a valuable tool. Debate is not just for the academically sound,'' Mr.

Thompson added. "What I have learned is some of the so-called weaker students have defeated some of the academically stronger ones.'' Social studies teacher Ellen Kelly said there was no better way to learn about Bermuda than through a debate.

Ms Kelly said: "It gets the class inspired. We look at the rates of accommodation and Bermudianisation in the hotel industry.'' She said the class had received cooperation from around the industry including from some larger hotels.

"Elbow Beach were very accommodating,'' Ms Kelly added. "But they are under construction and they could not take us around.'' She said debates were a total learning experience from across the spectrum of school subjects.

She said: "They use the whole curriculum. Especially math, art, English, and social studies. The semi-finalists and finalists were very focused.''