(January to May 2008)

This year, the MOE Invitational Debate Competition (the national tournament known as the MIDC) occurred in early April rather than in July (as in the last decade or more). Thus team ACJC needed to accelerate and adjust its training programme to meet this newly compacted timeframe for development. With our ACJC alumnus, Mr Chan Yong Wei (class of 2003) as coach, our debaters worked very hard to equal the standards set by our senior team, and we were rewarded by some very strong showings despite the obstacles we faced.

Between January to April, ACJC competed in no less than three major tournaments in the run-up to the MIDC: In January, our team comprising Nicole Mao (2AA3), Jeremy Tan (2SD2) and Alessa Pang (2SC4) made the Grand Finals of the SRJC Invitational competition, winning all their preliminary rounds and scoring a significant triumph over United World College in the semi-finals. ACJC last reached the finals of this tournament in 2005. In a close final, with Alessa receiving the Best Speaker award, ACJC lost narrowly to VJC by 3 to 2.

Our JC1s then stepped up to the challenge in the NUS Challenge Shield (February). The team comprising Anne Tan (1SC1), Lim Yin Li and Lim Pin Li (both of 1AA2), Rebecca Goh (1SC3), and Nelson Quak (1AD1), won 2 of their 3 preliminary rounds. Unfortunately, they met eventual champion RJC in the semi-finals and so bowed out of the tournament at that stage. This also was an improvement over our run in this competition in 2007, and our debaters were encouraged to push themselves harder.

The team then competed in the SMU Law Debates (March) and again did a good job of advancing to the semi-finals after 3 gruelling preliminary rounds. The team: Anne Tan, Jeremy Tan, Alessa Pang, Fernando Loo (1SC1) and Clara Ying (1SD1) exited the tournament at this stage, losing narrowly to eventual winner RJC.

In April, the same team from the SMU Law Debates began their MIDC campaign. Over 4 preliminary rounds, our team defeated schools like ACS (Independent), PJC and MJC to rank 4th going into the elimination rounds. After beating UWC in the Quarter-Finals, we lost a close and exciting semi-final match to eventual champion HCI.

MIDC Team

Front Row (L-R): Clara Ying, Anne Tan, Back

Row (L-R): Jeremy Tan, Fernando Loo, Alessa Pang

Finally, in May, ACJC sent two teams of JC1s to the SMU ‘Hammers’ Debates (Team 1: Anne Tan, Fernando Loo, Lim Yin Li; Team 2: Aletheia Tan (1SD1), Lim Pin Li, Nelson Quak). The SMU Hammers was a tournament with close to 40 teams, including multiple teams of experienced debaters from NUS and NTU. After 4 difficult rounds, ACJC Team 1 qualified for the JC Division Finals over schools like HCI and PJC. In the finals, we soundly defeated Catholic JC to bring home the championship trophy, bringing to a fitting end a packed and very taxing first half year in competitions.

SMU Hammers

ACJC Team 1 (From L-R, in ACJC uniform) with Convenor/ Chief Judge of the Tournament: Lim Yin Li, Anne Tan, Fernando Loo

The ACJC Debate Team is thankful for all the support from our Principals; our dedicated coach, Mr Chan Yong Wei; our teachers-in-charge; our faithful alumni who never let us down and kept rooting for us; and God who took care of us throughout this tough season and helped us shine.