In an era when young people are often depicted as having a ‘Laissez-faire’ attitude to global affairs, the students of St. Louis Grammar School, Kilkeel not only displayed their concerns, but were willing to voice them in a public arena.

Organised by Mrs Brenda Cunningham, St. Louis students have become more and more adept in the arena of public speaking and debating. Students from St Louis have recently celebrated their success in an ‘all-island’ debating competition organised by global humanitarian charity Concern Worldwide.

Students from Years 12 1nd 13 took part in a number of intra-school debates, which aim to give young people a deeper awareness and understanding of international development issues. The students where well prepared having researched their topics very diligently and where well versed in all arguments and counter-arguments. However, as Mrs Cunningham pointed out, “the growing confidence of our students was simply amazing, as they became passionate about topics they would have once gave only limited consideration about”.

All the hard word soon paid off as St Louis finished in the top four placed schools from Northern Ireland this year. The Concern debates have been running for over 30 years and more than 45,000 students have taken part. Perhaps we are watching the leaders of the future take their first step in ‘making a difference’.

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