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www.oakvillebeaver.com · OAKVILLE BEAVER Friday, December 4, 2009 · 20 Oxford Cup learning experience for WOSS debaters By Tina Depko OAKVILLE BEAVER STAFF The title of best high school debate team in Halton is in itself debatable, but students at White Oaks Secondary School (WOSS) are making a strong case for the title. Jake Teufel, 16, and Nathan Flores Miranda, 17, recently competed in a national debate contest called the Oxford Cup. The pair was one of five teams representing Ontario. This is the first time White Oaks students have participated in the Oxford Cup. The high school debate competition was held at the end of November in Winnipeg, where 28 teams from across Canada vied for the first and second place qualifying spots for the Oxford Debating Championships in March 2010 in Oxford, England. While the White Oaks team came in 18th place, it was an amazing opportunity to take part in the competition, they said. "It was a hard format to debate in, but it was a really good competition, so I'm glad we went," said Teufel, a Grade 11 student. NIKKI WESLEY / OAKVILLE BEAVER UP FOR DEBATE: Nathan Flores Miranda (left) and Jake Teufel (right) were one of five teams from Ontario to participate recently in the Oxford Cup, North America's high school debate championship. Pictured with them is senior debate team coach Hamish Guthrie. They said they also picked up there." on some new debate techniques Students on the White Oaks that will be useful for future con- team practice Canadian tests. Parliamentary debate, with one "We found flaws in our debate two-person team on each opposing styles and learned what we needed side. This consists of the prime to work on," said Flores Miranda, minister and the minister for the Grade 12. "There were some of the crown taking on the member brightest minds in the country opposite and the leader of the opposition. The Oxford Cup was challenging, as it followed British Parliament style, with four teams and two rounds of debate. The first government takes on the first opposition, and then the second government builds an extension of the government's case and takes on the extended opposition. Hamish Guthrie, coach of the senior debate team at White Oaks, praised his students for adapting to the new debate style and making the Ontario team that travelled to nationals. "We had never done this (style) before, but Nathan and Jake are good debaters, so we thought we'd at least try to make the Ontario team, and they did it in the first cut," said Guthrie. An essential element of debate is knowledge of current affairs. Teufel said he closely follows MacLean's, the Globe and Mail and The Economist. Flores Miranda also reads the Globe and pours over The Economist. Among the topics up for debate at the Oxford Cup were subsidizing news media, national security, North Korea and foreign aid. The students' passion for debate has inspired them to consider law as a future profession. Flores Miranda has his sights set on McGill University, while Teufel is keeping his options open, but is favouring Queen's University. They say that being on the debate team has provided them with valuable life skills. "I've learned public speaking, and as a result, my job interviews went well this summer," Teufel said. "Writing is also a lot easier." His debate partner said the best part is the friendships he's made. "I like the connections I've made with other debaters and coaches, not just in this area, but across the country," said Flores Miranda, who chose White Oaks specifically for its debate program under Guthrie's guidance. Guthrie started the extra-curricular debate team at White Oaks more than 25 years ago. He said he felt it was something the school needed, and the rest is history. There is a junior team of 20 students run by Melanie Baird and Maria Cabral. The senior team, with 12 students, is coached by See Debating page 21