Yorkton Regional High School students have been traveling the province and the country to attend debate and model legislature events. After arriving home in Yorkton, they shared their favourite moments as public speakers.
"It was an opportunity I thought would be fun and interesting," said grade 11 student Madison Bomboir. "We met lots of new people.
Bomboir went with her classmate, Brandyn Rodgerson, to the city of Victoria as part of Team Saskatchewan to compete in Canada's national senior debate championships. They argued the pros and cons of capitalism.
"It was great to see people from around Canada that are interested in the same thing," said Rodgerson. "I enjoy both public speaking and law, and this combined the two aspects."
The students had two days of touring through Victoria, visiting the legislative building and whale watching. Then they got down to business.
Debate teams argued both prepared rounds and impromptu rounds, where they have half an hour to prepare a debate on a surprise topic. For example, one impromptu round had students deciding if mothers under the age of 18 should be allowed to keep their children.
"You learn a lot of different styles and techniques to go about forming a debate case," said Rodgerson.Rodgerson also attended Model Legislature in Regina with Jacalyn Molnar and Liane-Mari Grobler."It was a really big learning experience about how they pass bills," said Grobler, who played an MLA. She felt learning about bills was the most memorable aspect of the trip, along with "seeing the legislative building."
"It was cool to see how everything in the legislative building worked," added Molnar.
Rodgerson played the Premier and came home with the top parliamentarian award for the weekend.
"It's a lot of preparing and it's a lot of research for everyone involved," he said after playing Premier Allan Blakeney. Sitting in the Premier's desk was a highlight, and dressing up in 1970's threads was a fun way to re-live the Land Bank act from the agricultural program and Potash Corp.
