“ As we said in the semi-finals, we were going to take home the trophy. And so we did. So said, so done.”

That was the reaction from Mickela Samuels, a member of the victorious George Headley Primary School team, which successfully defended its title in the Western Union Primary Schools’ Debate Competition on Wednesday.

Located in Duhaney Park, St Andrew, George Headley Primary School edged a confident Corinaldi Avenue Primary in the final to claim their second consecutive hold on the debating crown. Corinaldi Avenue also lost to George Headley in the 2017 final.

The all-girl George Headley team of Samuels, Kevi-Ann Rose, and Sukanya Anderson exuded confidence throughout the competition and, according to their coach Andre Plummer, that confidence came as a result of a year of hard work.

“We were preparing and working hard with these students and to win another title shows us that we are doing the right thing; we have the formula,” said an elated Plummer.

Corinaldi Avenue did not walk away empty-handed, as Honessa Clayton won the title of best speaker. The other members of the team are Leon Martin and Nathan Morrison.

The teams debated the moot “Be it resolved: Single-sex schools are better than co-educational institutions”. George Headley were the proposers.

Along with the champion’s trophy, George Headley won a cash prize of J$300,000 and gift bags.

Corinaldi Avenue took home $150,000 and gift bags.

Michelle Allen, CEO of GraceKennedy Money Services, the agents of title sponsors Western Union, reaffirmed the company’s commitment to the competition and primary education.

“The debate competition is the wrap-up of our annual I-PLEDGE programme and we love this series because we believe we need to have more avenues for our children to engage in positive and wholesome expressions, and be able to hold contending views in an organised and competitive atmosphere,” she said.

Sixteen primary schools from across the island participated in this year’s month-long competition.

The Western Union I PLEDGE ( I promise to Lend Encouragement to Develop Growth in Education) focuses on developing literacy skills among primary school children through three main components: a reading week; an essay-writing competition and a primary schools’ debate competition.