Thursday 28th January 2010 saw Horbury and Ossett Schools go head to head in the great ‘Global Warming’ debate when they took part in a keenly and closely contested debate hosted by the Rotary Club of Horbury and Ossett Phoenix. The event was not just a lot of hot air but well thought out arguments and good use of facts and figures from both teams featured strongly in their allotted times to make their case.

After some lengthy and careful deliberation the judges announced Horbury School the winners by a very narrow margin and complimented both teams on their performances. Each participant was presented with a Certificate to be included in their School  Record of Achievement. The winning team was awarded The George Owen Trophy to be held for one year and competed for again in 2011. The late George Owen was a Rotarian in the Horbury and Ossett Phoenix Club who took a particular interest in youth activities and development of young people.

Organiser of the event Rotarian Jack Reynolds said “To say this was the first Youth Speaks we have organised for some years, and also the first time the participants had competed, we could not have got off to a better start. We are very grateful to English Teachers Rachael Thompson (Ossett) and Andrew Dodsley (Horbury) for encouraging their students to take part, and to the students themselves who acquitted themselves very well on the night.”

The final word on the evening came from members of the Ossett School team who vowed to be back and to win in 2011.

Photo:  Standing left to right Ossett Students - Hannah Smith, Emily Aspinall, Jonathan Davies, Connor Chappel, Horbury Students – Emily Jones, Marcus Jones, Mathew Kent.

Seated left to right: Judges Rtn Dai Gifford; Miriam Oakley Head of Horbury School; Rachel Green – Deputy Head of English Ossett School.