St Peters third in O’Shea

Last month’s O’Shea Shield won a third equal placing for St Peter’s out of 17 schools with a win for the debating team.

The 14-strong St Peter’s team, consisted of:
Debating: Megan Hands, Ben Booker, Kelsey Kooyman (Coach: Mrs Franz)
Religious Questions: Trinit George, Rebekah Harris, Samantha Bills (Coach: Miss Gunn)
Junior Speech: Elizabeth Begley (Coach: Mrs McCarthy)
Oratory: Alex Harris (Coach: Mrs Ardron)
Scripture Reading: Eileen Obben (Coach: Mrs Richards)
Impromptu: Joseph Boon (Coach: Mrs Young)
Religious Drama: Therese and Joseph Boon, Alex Harris, Phoebe Shannon, Andrew Thomas, Beth Kriechbaum (Coach: Mary-Grace Williams)
Coordinator: Mrs McCarthy

On Saturday morning, the debate with St Mary’s, Wellington fizzed with combat, with St Peter’s winning the St Catherine’s Cup for the Best Negative Debating Team. Megan Hands was judged best speaker and Ben Booker, runner-up. This set the tone for the weekend. St Peter’s also won good grades in the Religious Questions and Speeches. Saturday ended with a frenzied crowd packing Napier Boys’ High School Hall for the Drama. With an original, snappy script, St Peter’s team wowed the audience and many commented on its excellence.

On Sunday, participants drove to St Joseph’s Māori Girls’ School in Taradale, where Scripture Reading and Impromptus were held. Eileen, after Trinit’s last-minute prompting, did her personal best in the Scripture Reading, and Joseph, had the audience rocking as usual, in the impromptu.

The weekend was a total adrenalin rush and plans are afoot for even greater involvement for 2009’s foray to St Mary’s, Wellington.