SFHS PDC 2022
January 24, 2022
“Find what you’re good at and see how that can help you follow your passions.”
Dr. Shivi Sharma, Physician and Asst. Professor – Clinical Medicine at Yale University, graced us with his presence as the Keynote Speaker for the SFHS PDC 2022. He shared his advice about cashing in on the opportunities that come our way and focusing on what we are good at. He gave us a glimpse into his life and the adventures that he has undertaken.
He shared his recent experience in Antarctica, where he met a glacierologist who was passionate about the environment, but still had to take tourists around the continent during the summer, to pay his bills. The lesson to takeaway was that one has to strike a balance between what one wants to do and what one needs to do. His wise words had a profound impact on us all.
The event was kickstarted by a Training Session conducted by a distinguished team of Adjudicators, from the esteemed, Punjab Engineering College. This was followed by a mock debate demonstrated by a team of students from Strawberry Fields High School. The topic under debate was whether procedures to alter one’s racial appearance should be banned or not. The participants had their doubts cleared and also gained insights into the format of a PDC. It was an interesting and informative session indeed.
The second day of our debate championship was driven by the power of thoughts and voicing different perspectives on topics like healthcare and international agreements related to climate change.
With an eclectic mix of debaters, 4 exemplary rounds were conducted and 16 teams for day 3, qualified out of the 68 teams that participated today. This journey of connecting, communicating, presenting and mediating tough situations, is a great learning for young minds across the country.
The third day consisted of octa finals, quarter finals, semi finals and finals. The last round was narrowed down to CJC v/s DPS and CJC nabbed the first place.
For the Closing Ceremony our Keynote Speaker was Mr. Tejveer Singh, IAS and Principal Secretary to the Government of Punjab. His dedication to his work and love for the nation makes him an inspiration to all of us. A policymaker like no other, his efforts have improved the lives of many. We were honoured to have him share his thoughts with us. He encouraged us to remain committed to topical and relevant issues prevailing in the world. He stressed upon the concept of debate being to crush our opponent’s arguments and not our opponents. He also recalled taking part in a debating event as a student and reflected upon all the lessons that experience taught him. His valuable advice will stay with us forever.
We, at Strawberry Fields High School, have aspired to make the participation of passionate debaters from schools across the country in our parliamentary debate championship a rewarding and enriching experience. It was an absolute honour to host this event. Tanya Gupta, Aaditya Sharma and Hiranya Bhushan Gakhar.
