Celebrating the success of our public speakers and debaters

The York School is incredibly proud of our talented public speakers and debaters, and their impressive performances in recent competitions. Max B. ‘28 placed first in Canada and second overall in the International Independent Schools Public Speaking Competition (IISPSC), which was held in Oakville in October. Max will be going on to represent The York School and Canada at the World Individual Debating and Public Speaking Championships (WIDPSC) in Shanghai in spring 2027.
Two other York students delivered strong performances at the IISPSC. Myah Z. ‘28 reached the finals in the Interpretive Reading category in her very first tournament, and Hailey U. ‘29 spoke confidently, professionally and persuasively.

Max’s prepared speech, entitled “The Grass Is Greener, But at What Cost?”, explored the enormous amount of fresh water consumed by golf courses around the world, particularly in communities facing severe water shortages. He challenged the expectation that golf courses must maintain perfectly green grass when doing so comes at the expense of local residents’ access to water.

“Placing first in Canada and qualifying for the World Championships is honestly a dream come true,” says Max. “Public speaking has been such an important part of my life, and it’s incredibly rewarding to see years of hard work pay off. I remember joining our school’s debate club in Grade 7 and imagining what it would feel like to be Canada’s top qualifier. To now be living that moment feels surreal.”

At the upcoming world championship, Max will compete against students from private and international schools in more than 20 countries. “I’m especially excited to travel to Shanghai, meet and compete against some of the best young speakers in the world, and have the opportunity to represent both Canada and The York School on the international stage,” he says.

As Max looks forward to competing at a global level, he’s reflecting on the people who have contributed to his success. “I’m extremely grateful to my teachers, coaches, and everyone who has supported me along the way.”

In other debating news, at the Ontario Student Debating Union British Parliamentary Debate Provincial Qualifier in October, our Grade 8 team of Claire B. and Holden G. and Grade 12 team of James S. and Morris W. qualified to represent our province at the British Parliamentary National Championships in Vancouver at the end of November.

Congratulations to all our public speakers and debaters – and the best of luck at your upcoming competitions!

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