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On Thursday 12 February eight Lower 6 girls, forming the Committee on Employment and Social Affairs, took part in the East Anglian Forum of the European Youth Parliament Competition.  

Everyone was nervous beforehand, particularly as we had to propose the resolution that Europe should adopt a National health System along the lines of of the UK's system. Margie Margereson gallantly took this on and gave  a very sparky and dramatic 3 minute speech. At the end of that debate, Olivia Jensen summed up admirably for the proposition.  

In the third debate, Claudia Sarno opposed a resolution to insist on the regulation of South American states. This was a difficult debate but both she and Linda Tieu, who summarised the opposition's argument, brought energy and commitment to their speeches.   

The other debates, in which we did not give prepared speeches but which we joined in with increasing gusto, covered EU accession,climate change and separatist claims.   At the end of each debate, teams had to announce the results of their voting and after lunch they were invited to find a different, 'fun' way fo doing this.

Our committee chose to reflect its highly international composition by announcing the results in Spanish (Olivia), Russian (Masha), French (Beth) and Italian (Claudia). Claudia later managed to make a contribution to the closing, just-for-fun French debate. So did Margie, but as hers was done in a  cod 'Allo'Allo accent, it didn't count as real French.  

The team didn't get through to the National final but nevertheless made quite a hit with the judges (I believe one of them instantly Facebooked Masha...) who admired their research, their structured speeches, their clear and engaging delivery, their teamwork and their use of humour. They even said that the 'passion' generated by Masha and a Polish girl in another team over the Georgia/Russia question had made their day.  

So I felt very proud of them and very pleased to have gone to hear them speak with such confidence and clarity.  

Jane Marriott