Being able to voice your opinions and speak confidently in public are skills highly valued at ºÚÁϳԹÏ.
As part of our role in preparing young people for life beyond school, we have developed a co-curricular program called The Spoken Word. Encompassing a broad range of competitions and events across the academic year, The Spoken Word fosters strong oral communication and critical thinking skills.
Debating
From Year 5 to Year 12, ºÚÁÏ³Ô¹Ï enters up to seven teams in the HICES Debating Competition: an independent inter-school debating competition organised across two conferences (Northern and Southern) in four age divisions.
Between Terms 1 and 3, students meet regularly during school hours for coaching sessions. They compete after school on campus.
Mock United Nations Assembly (MUNA)
Senior students at ºÚÁÏ³Ô¹Ï have the opportunity to participate in the Mock United Nations Assembly (MUNA) coordinated by Southern Highlands Rotary and conducted at the Civic Centre in Moss Vale each May.
Every year, six to eight articulate students aged 16 years and over are chosen to represent a nation of their nomination and argue rigorously over their position on draft UN resolutions. Students much not only conduct extensive independent research on matters of significant global concern but also work as a team to delegate responsibilities and refine their arguments to deliver verbally in the Assembly. In 2024, the resolutions encompassed issues such as the protection of civilians in armed conflicts, the elimination of racism, discrimination and xenophobia, the prohibition of the use of nuclear weapons and the eradication of rural poverty.
51³Ô¹ÏÍøÔÚÏß has a solid history of success in this prestigious competition, receiving awards at the local level and in 2022 competing in Canberra for the national title.
The Plain English Speaking Competition and the Junior Secondary Speaking Competition
These very prestigious national competitions coordinated by the Arts Department at the Department of Education give students the opportunity to deliver a prepared speech on an issue of social or personal significance, and also foster their skills in preparing and delivering an impromptu speech.
Every year, ºÚÁÏ³Ô¹Ï coaches two junior and two senior students to participate in the local regional rounds of these competitions. With consistent success at this level, our students have been selected to participate in regional finals, State finals and in 2024, the National Grand Final.
HICES Speechcraft
Without the pressure of competition, students in Years 7-11 who are interested in developing their oratory skills or who are emerging leaders are invited to the HICES Speechcraft day, usually held in Term 4 at Macarthur Anglican College. A day full of workshops and seminars devoted to public speaking, this opportunity is one of the many benefits offered to HICES schools such as ºÚÁϳԹÏ.
Explore our activities beyond the classroom
Abundant opportunities exist for students to explore their gifts in cultural, sporting, community service, and outdoor activities. As well as acquiring particular skills, students test and develop their sense of self, their commitment to a group exercise and teamwork in all its complexity.
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