Congratulations to Maria English of Marsden School in Karori who has just led the New Zealand Secondary Schools Debating Team to be runners-up at the World Debating Championships in Washington D.C.
They lost 4-5 to England early this morning, after winning 11 debates in a row to make the Grand Final.
Maria has had a spectacular year. She has just come back from touring Brazil and Argentina as a member of the N.Z. Secondary Schools Choir, where the kiwi students helped out with a slum music school in Rio as well as performing concerts.
She then spent several weeks in Ireland on an all expenses paid trip as her prize for winning the 2008 Rodney Walshe Essay Competiton.
What a talented student and she’s only in Year 12.
Nice schmoozing Stephen, just a shame it wasn’t earlier, otherwise perhaps you wouldn’t have such an abysmal list ranking!