However, Leeton High School year 9 student Acadia Lee has discovered debating can provide an avenue to state an opinion and have it be heard. 

Acadia was part of a team selected from the Riverina to be part of the Junior State Debating Championships. 

The team travelled to Sydney last week where they progressed through to the final of the competition, eventually finishing the runners-up. 

The final debate was taken out by a Sydney team that were the affirmative for the topic “there should be a ban on sports betting”. 

Leeton High teaching librarian Peta Newsam was the team’s regional co-ordinator and was pleased with their effort. 

“Unfortunately they weren’t able to take out the final, but they gave it a really good shot,” she said. 

“Originally we just aimed to make the semi-finals, so to make the final made me very proud.”

Acadia was selected for the team after a round of the NSW Premier’s Debating Challenge was held at the school earlier this year. 

“I enjoy debating because you get to have an opinion and people listen to you,” she said. 

“It was pretty hard in Sydney, but I really enjoyed it. 

“I was able to learn so much too. It was good to get as far as we did.”

The championships also included various workshops and feedback sessions.