DebateBox at the Harrow Club

by Vashti Turner  on October 27, 2017  in  Sports

A number of KAA students were stars of the show at the annual Debatebox event, held at the Harrow Club on . The current year 10 students have been working with the programme leaders, Joe O’Toole and Ade Odusola, for 10 weeks in preparation for the event and showcased their skills in front of a packed audience of over 250 people, which included a number of KAA governors.

The Debatebox programme requires students to battle, first through a formal debate, which is then followed by a highly competitive round of boxing. Each week, the students attended a 2 hour after school training session, harnessing and developing their skills in both areas. The programme focuses on the shared skills needed for both debating and boxing; strategy, discipline, focus and quick thinking. By developing these transferable skills, the students gain confidence in their academic ability.

The students were naturally most apprehensive of the boxing element, with most having never set foot in a ring before. However, under the expert tutoring of coaches from the Cuban Boxing Academy, the students were excited at going toe to toe with their opponents. In fact, it was the KAA teachers in attendance who seemed most nervous on the night, as they watched on proudly through gritted teeth.

Mr Kirby, Director of Learning for Year 10, said: “I was immensely proud to see them perform on the night. They have shown dedication and commitment, which has been reflected in their progress at school.”

Joe O’Toole, DebateBox Programme Leader added: “Ade and I were immensely proud of the KAA contingent of Ezequiel, Harry, Bailey, Mike, Yusra, Zaid, and Ali, they have improved so much across the programme and last night really rose to the occasion.”

We would like to thank Joe and Ade for supporting the students, throughout the programme, as their enthusiasm and energy helped to ensure the students benefited greatly from the experience.

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