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• The Locked Heads Saga – Day 1 Pathways School Gurgaon
  
  September 28

The Intra-School Qualifier Round of Locked Heads 4.0 took place on 26th August 2023, showcasing the impressive debating talents of 18 enthusiastic teams comprising students from MYP 1 to MYP 3. The competition followed the modified parliamentary debate format, where two teams engaged in opposing each other on motions addressing contemporary global issues. The primary themes discussed during this debate were National Legalist and Security, Academic Wellbeing, and the Environment.

The competition was held online, with participants joining a common meeting link for a comprehensive introduction to the rules and format of the debate from 9:15 AM to 9:40. Alongside, The Locked Heads team weaved through tables and chairs of room 103 to grab our bearings, talk to the different heads of each planning component, plus share the finalized fixtures for the debates, while answering the debaters’ questions.

The day commenced with the first debate discussing the motion "This house would make voting compulsory." After the conclusion of the first debate, during the intermission, Ms. Harpreet addressed the students and responded to the questions. The second debate, centered on the motion "This house believes that sporting activities should be compulsory for all students," began at 11:30 AM. Following a lunch break, the final debate tackled the motion "This house would ban single-use plastics worldwide”. Each team introduced new perspectives into the discourse, employing robust statistics, substantial evidence, effective verbal communication, and other techniques to articulate their viewpoints. Their performances were exceptional, utilizing insightful information.

After each speech, a 60-second gap was provided for counterarguments and rebuttals. Following all speakers’ presentations, a 90-second rebuttal session allowed teams to creatively and persuasively strengthen their stance on the motion. 

Post-debate, adjudicators facilitated a feedback session to aid the teams' gradual improvement based on the provided rubrics. The primary role of the adjudicator was to ensure that the new, emerging debaters are able to develop suitable communication skills, research skills, time management skills during the debate.

A common rubric for adjudication encompassed three key parameters: content, presentation, and structure. Additionally, teams were marked on a scale of 6 for the optional rebuttal session and a scale of 9 for team coordination. These scores were then tallied and averaged across all three rounds. The top 8 teams emerging from this process qualified for the upcoming intra-school knockout round.

Moving forward, let’s take a pause and see what was happening backstage with the organizing team! Last-minute changes to the score sheet had us all at the edge of our seats, using the landline to simultaneously prepare for our upcoming Interschool competition, and much more had been going on behind the scenes.

At last, the results arrived. After collecting, collating, and calculating them, we were all able to take a sigh of relief for the day during the closing ceremony. Seeing the students’ faces light up was truly an unforgettable moment to witness! We were inspired by Ms. Dimpu Sharma’s words after the event, which left us all feeling content with our work.
The event's success was a testament to the unwavering efforts of the organizing committee, comprising Aahvana Kapuria, Amaara Singh, Aadya Amritesh, Rutvi Punia, Riana Chopra, Saesha S. Chanana, Divyaansh Gandhi, Anisha C. Bhandari, Shaun Kumar, Arush Nath, Anoushka Jolly, Diya Mehra and the guidance of mentoring teachers including Ms. Harpreet Kaur, Ms. Ekta Lakhera, Dr. Vigya Chauhan, Ms. Dimple Ahuja and Dr. Gurpreet Sodhi. Each individual played a pivotal role across various aspects of the event, including syllabus development, publication, communication, logistics, felicitation, media coordination, technical support, selection of adjudicators and more. Working on this event for over a month, these teachers and students ensured that the event ran seamlessly, supporting one another through thick and thin.

Locked Heads 4.0 Intra-School Qualifier showcased young minds grappling with urgent global issues through insightful debates. Adhering to the Parliamentary debate format, the competition offered students a strong platform to express ideas, improve public speaking, and participate in meaningful discussions. The event highlighted skills, emphasized teamwork, research, and critical thinking.

We extend our congratulations to the teams advancing to the knockout rounds scheduled for September 8th, 2023. In the forthcoming phase, two teams will engage in head-to-head debate, leading to the elimination of the losing team, ultimately culminating in a single triumphant team. The winner from Locked Heads 4.0 – Intraschool will proudly represent our school in the Locked Heads 4.0 Interschool! The countdown for Day 2 of Locked Heads 4.0, Intraschool has begun! Remember, there is no win or lose, only learning!

Teams Advancing to Round 2:

• White Walkers III
• The Opinionaters
• Agree to Disagree
• The Negotiators
• The Logicals
• THE GREATER DEBATERS
• The Tommorow Team
• Debate Team

By: Diya Mehra, MYP 5C, Vice-Head of Events and Saesha Sanjay Chanana, MYP 4D, Cub Reporter