West Point Grey Academy - Debate and Public Speaking

Debate and Public Speaking

West Point Grey Academy is renowned for having one of the strongest speech and debate programs in Canada. Coached by Ms. Tracey Lee, who is currently the Canadian National Debate (Team Canada) coach, WPGA debaters have competed throughout Canada, the United States, England, Greece, Germany, South Africa, and South Korea. Of particularly notable acclaim, WPGA debate alumnus Andrew Rusk placed fifth at the World Individual Public Speaking Championships in both 2006 & 2007, was the top Canadian Speaker at the International Independent School Public Speaking Championships in both 2005 & 2006, and was the team Captain of the Canadian National Team in the 2006/2007 school year. Iqbal Kassam ('10) is the second WPGA student selected to the National team and was Team Canada's top speaker at the 2009 World Schools Debate Championships. Kassam recently won the Parliamentary debates at the Worlds Individual Speech and Debates (Reading, England). Jonathan Carson ('10) was the third WPGA student selected to the National team, joining his partner on the 2010 team.

West Point Grey is currently home to the Senior Canadian National High School Champions three years running (Sean Husband & Helenaz Hajifattahi, 2008; Iqbal Kassam & Jonny Carson, 2009, 2010).

The school's Model UN team has competed at a number of international competitions including the National High School MUN (New York), Harvard Model UN (Boston), SSUNS McGill and Harvard Model Congress in Athens, Greece and Brussels, Belgium. In addition to receiving a number of delegate awards, the team has also received notable acclamation as the Top International Delegation at the Harvard Model United Nations in both 2005 and 2006 and McGill's SSUNS in 2008. The school's Model UN program has hosted their own conference, - the Vancouver Youth Model United Nations (VYMUN) - every October for the past four years.