A cold winter’s night, complete with a blistering wind, ruthlessly leaving a trail of chattering teeth in its wake, leaving all those not already in a blanket, wishing they had a cup of hot coca to cuddle with: yet in the faint distance, one could see the dim lights of Xian Mian Building, and hear the faint sound of laughter. On December 4th, 2014, Shanghai High School International Division hosted the first round of the Shanghai InterSchool Debate League.

All those attending came from over seven different international schools, including, Shanghai American School, Dulwich College Shanghai, Concordia International School, SMIC, YKPao, and Star River Bilingual School. Joined by a common love for debate, each school takes turns hosting. This league not only allows for students to hone their debating skills, practice and improve on one’s public speaking and communication abilities but also to make friends. Seldom are there competitions that involve so many different International schools on a regular basis, really allowing the students to expand their network beyond that of the school.

This debate was attended by over 150 students, and went, as they say, without a hitch. Debaters and parents alike snacked on the refreshments, sandwiches, and homemade chocolate chip pretzel cookies while hustling to their designated rooms. At the end of the day, SHSID’s results were nothing less than spectacular. With the senior team claiming five out of five victories and five out of five best speaker awards, one can really see that hard work will pay off.

All those interested in joining debate or wanting to practice a skill that will pay off tenfold later on in life, send Chris Lin (clin0902@icloud.com) or Sarah Lin (sarah980307@hotmail.com) an email.

（Written by Chris Lin）