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The kingdom’s quick-thinking and smart-talking school pupils will be putting their gift of the gab to the test at an international academic decathlon with the aim of securing cup glory.
Junior and senior students of the British School of Bahrain (BSB) and St Christopher’s School are currently in Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia, competing in the global round of the World Scholar’s Cup (WSC) against 3,000 contestants from more than 40 countries.
St Christopher’s School teacher Adrian Walker said: “We are excited about the opportunity to represent the Kingdom of Bahrain, meeting and competing against some of the brightest students from across the world.”
The BSB have sent 16 students to compete and St Christopher’s have 37 pupils ready to convince the judges to voice approval of their efforts as they battle for victory in a variety of events.
Divided in teams of three, the students will be debating and answering a series of questions under the theme of ‘The World Unbound’, in four main events including the Team Debate, the Scholar’s Bowl, Collaborative Writing and the Scholar’s Challenge.
Subjects students will be covering in different categories include movements toward freedom in history, liberating technologies in science, voices of the unbound in literature, heroes and super heroes in a special area, peering over the edge in arts and ‘worlds held together, worlds torn apart’ in social studies.
Aside from the competition, the students will experience several social activities such as scavenger hunts, keynote speeches, panel discussions, a talent show and the signature Scholar’s Ball known as the Nerd Prom!
Victors in the global round will then be eligible to compete in the grand final called the Tournament of Champions which is staged at the prestigious Yale University in the US.
According to Sally Milnes, BSB’s assistant head careers and university guidance, the school’s pupils have been training in earnest since April.
She said: “We have had a regular debate club and they have been studying the materials on the different subject areas independently and in their groups.
“Of course, we hope to get a few students through to the final, the Tournament of Champions, but it’s not just about that. The students are gaining so much from this competition as when they are preparing, they are learning a lot of material outside of the normal school curriculum.
“It is an introduction to many new subjects such as politics, psychology, different and varied art forms and media studies.
“The whole process from Bahrain to Yale is an experience in itself, whether we win or lose.”
Mrs Milnes was actually the first to introduce the students and schools in Bahrain to the contest after taking a debating team to a competition run by Jumeirah College in Dubai two years ago, where she met the organiser of WSC, Daniel Berdichevesky.
Mr Berdichevsky, also known as ‘Demi-Dec Dan’ and ‘the Alpaca-in-Chief’, is a noted figure in international education, the application of online social networks and in the design of persuasive technologies. He is also the founder of DemiDec, a corporation that provides study materials for the Academic Decathlon and annually hosts the WSC.
Interested in the concept, she arranged for him to visit the BSB to inspire the students and she then introduced him to her counterparts at St Christopher’s School. Since then both sets of students have been lining up to take part.
Year 9 BSB girls Francesca Dimarucut, Layla Al Ammari and Rhea Gosain are excited about the competition. They were placed second in the best team category during the regionals.
It is Francesca’s second year participating in WSC and her first time attending the Global Round. The 14-year-old said: “This year, I feel like I have improved as an individual in terms of debating and that the team I’m in is very strong!”
Her favourite event is the Team Debate which allows a team to debate over 15 minutes on a topic given to them. She also loves the fact that she will be making a lot of new friends. She said: “One of the many things I love about the WSC is how it allows us to communicate with people from different schools, different backgrounds, different religions and different nationalities.
“I hope we achieve some medals or even a good score to make it through to the Tournament of Champions in Yale. However, by the end of the Global Round, I think we’ll have achieved a sense of accomplishment and pride in each other for making it through the week, as well as having many good memories.”
Francesca will be performing in the cultural talent show with one of her friends and classmates. She will be playing the piano and her friend will be singing a song in Tagalog.
Her teammate Rhea will also be showcasing where she is from through an Indian dance routine. She also loves that the competition focuses a lot more on general knowledge and self-studying.
Rhea, also 14, said: “It’s really improved my research skills because, although the subjects and some material is given, we still need to research certain people, events in history or even things that are happening in this day and age.
“I love that what we’re learning isn’t like what we’re normally learning in school. Most importantly, though, I still can’t believe that I’m in Kuala Lampur with my two best friends!”
This will be Layla’s first time taking part. The 13-year-old said: “WSC isn’t just a celebration of learning. It’s a fun experience and it’s about understanding different cultures as well as developing an opinion on various subjects.
“I am thankful for being in such a hardworking team. Francesca had won best individual from the BSB and Rhea had been chosen to debate in front of the entire audience in The Debate Showcase.
“It would be surreal to make it to the finals, but personally, I hope to achieve so much more than that. I hope to improve my public speaking skills, widen my horizons, learn about different cultures, strengthen my relationship with my team, improve my writing skills and meet new friends.
“A friend of mine, Ingrid Bahnemann, made it to the final last year and she gained a lot more than just a trip to America. She often speaks about the friends she made and the skills she learned and the cultures she understands better.”
The BSB kids aren’t the only ones eager to impress. Year 7 St Christopher’s students, Sinaan Ali, Nabeel Hussain and Ross Drobler have been preparing three times-a-week at school and at each other’s homes.
Drobler, 12, said: “What I like about this competition is that you get to collaborate with all your friends and learn a lot from the programme. It helps you improve your debating skills, creative writing, social abilities and teamwork.
“I think being a part of this builds our confidence which will help us at school and in our future. I definitely advise others to participate because you learn so much and it’s fun.
“I’m happy to be competing with my good friends and I’m also looking forward to meeting new people from around the world. Obviously our aim is to win and qualify for the final in the US and we will work hard to do that. But whether we win or lose, I am truly happy to be a part of it.”
Sinaan, 12, added: “I do believe that there are aspects of the cup competition that helps prepare you for the future. When you learn to speak in front of people, it could help you with future presentations, be it at university or in a company making a sales pitch.
“This competition is also a great way to bond with your school mates, meet new people from different cultures and also gain a great learning experience.
“If we win it, it will be a bonus. Realistically, we know there are other older kids taking part. We are going to go out there and have fun. Not only will we compete, but we’ll be taken on city tours and enjoy other fun activities.”
