North End Schools Debate League (NESDL)

The North End Schools Debate League was established in 2017 by a group of educators in the Seven Oaks School Division. The intention was to establish a debate league closer to home for our students that would function alongside and in partnership with the Manitoba Speech and Debate Association (MSDA). Since 2017, students from each of the high schools in the Seven Oaks School Division have participated in, and hosted, competitive debate and public speaking tournaments. Through their engagement with debate, students have also been inspired to participate in events such as the Youth Parliament of Manitoba, Ethics Bowl, Model United Nations Assembly, and the Youth Nuclear Peace Summit.

Constructing statements for a debate requires participants to hone their research, writing, communication and listening skills. As part of this process, students engage with the Canadian Parliamentary debate format, which allows them to work closely with a partner to develop a constructive case, refute contested points, and provide final summaries of their most convincing arguments. Debaters must effectively manage their time, think critically, and listen actively all while having fun and engaging with their peers in a safe and supportive environment. As a group, debate clubs focus on discussing and analyzing challenging and complex topics from a variety of perspectives and creating a space for students to discover more about their own opinions, as well as hear the viewpoints of their peers. Students learn about various formats of debate and public speaking.