Marist Sisters’ College Woolwich students win 2026 CSDA Debating Grand Final

An undefeated season has culminated in a major achievement for the Year 12 Debating team at Marist Sisters' College Woolwich, with Charlotte Brailey, Demitra Hadjistravou, Harriet O'Connor and Alissa Tosh winning the 2026 Catholic Schools' Debating Association (CSDA) Grand Final. 

The CSDA is the largest secondary schools debating competition in the Southern Hemisphere, with more than 100 schools from across the Sydney region taking part each year. 

With passionate speeches, quick-fire rebuttals and big ideas filling the room, the grand final saw the team tackle the thought-provoking proposition that "civic responsibilities require us to imagine lives beyond our own" – a challenge that demanded sharp thinking, strong teamwork and the ability to consider different perspectives. 

"This win means so much to us as we have worked so hard as individuals and as a team to give our best every single week," Charlotte said. 

 "It shows the strength of the group we've become and the way we've grown through the season. We're proud of the result and proud of the way we earned it together." 

 A team built on trust 

 Rachel Sampson, Principal at Marist Sisters' College Woolwich said the "key turning point in the team's run to the grand final was not a single moment, but the consistency and unity they demonstrated across every round." 

"Their ability to build on one another's points, anticipate counter-arguments and maintain a cohesive line of reasoning ultimately set them apart."  

Having debated together since Year 7, the students have developed a strong understanding of each other's strengths and the trust to work together under pressure. 

"One of our team traditions was going out to dinner each week after the debate to talk about what went well and what didn't," Harriet said. 

"Most importantly, we trusted each other. If someone is struggling with a point, another person steps in. If someone has a great idea, we build around it." 

Preparation behind the success 

The team's preparation extended well beyond the weekly debates. 

The students created a 'cheat sheet' covering a broad range of topics, kept up to date with current affairs and developed individual areas of knowledge they could draw on when preparing their arguments. 

As debating captains, they also facilitated training sessions for younger students, giving them the opportunity to further develop their own skills while supporting younger debaters at the College. 

Demi said the experience strengthened skills that will continue beyond Year 12. 

"Critical thinking is a major skill that we developed under time conditions, specifically under pressure," she said. 

"Constructing arguments was another skill. This allowed for us to organise ideas logically with clarity. It also taught us how to confidently work with a team." 

The students are now preparing for further study in areas including law, international security and medical sciences. 

 For Charlotte, the friendships and growth they shared as a team are what she will remember most. 

 "I'll remember the friendship we built, the way we backed each other even when we were exhausted and all the skills we picked up along the way," she said. 

 "I'll remember how we grew not only as debaters, but as people who learned to think sharper, speak more confidently and truly trust each other."