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Welcome to the home of SHSH Debaters!

Sacred Heart and Fountain Academy have one of the largest debating programmes in Canada with more than 60 students who take part during the year.

The link for the 2020 Halifax camp is here: Summer debate camp

While debating has been a feature of Sacred Heart education over many years, the present debate club was established in 1999.

Sacred Heart School of Halifax and Fountain Academy of the Sacred Heart have an extensive debate programme in both junior and senior high schools, and a unit for grade six students.

Our members debate in Nova Scotia Debating Society tournaments, and in major Canadian and international high school tournaments. Students have placed first at the largest high school debating event in North America six times in the last twelve years. One of our recent graduates was first individually at 36 high school tournaments.

Our Camp Coach (and former Head Coach), Mr. Brian Casey, has been volunteering with the Club since 1999, and has been instrumental to the success of our students. Brian has been involved with Canadian debating since junior high school and has served as provincial coordinator of debating in Newfoundland and Nova Scotia, and served for many years on the executive of the Canadian Student Debating Federation, with the distinction of being its longest serving president. His interest in speech and debate extends to the university level where he teaches a course at the Schulich School of Law at Dalhousie preparing students for the Sopinka Cup moot, a national competition which his students have won three times. In his professional life Brian is a lawyer at Boyne Clarke.

Ms. Kathryn Bjornson, Sacred Heart High School, Head Coach

Ms. Patricia Donnelly, Fountain Academy of the Sacred Heart, Junior High Debating Club

Our resources are available to any interested students or coaches.

Please contact Kathryn Bjornson for more information on our programme.

Please contact Brian Casey for information on Debate Camp 2020.