Not all hot air in the “balloon debate”

IT wasn’t just hot air when students at Warrington’s Priestley College took part in a “balloon debate.”
The challenge was to argue the merits of world figures as diverse as Donald Trump and revolutionary socialist Karl Marx – and students rose to that challenge.
As arguments ran out of steam, the world figures were thrown out of the balloon to lighten the load. Last one in was the winner.
Senior tutor Mark Salmon said: “The point of the balloon debate is to encourage students to listen to different points of view and to polish up their debating skills.
“It is the kind of activity universities look for prospective undergraduates to have taken part in so it helps our students when applying for places.”
Winner of the debate was former St Gregory’s RC High School pupil Vincent Chriscoli who argued the case for physician and scientist Edward Jenner, pioneer of the smallpox vaccine.
Second place went to Kofi Aliu, a former pupil at Ormiston Bolingbroke Academy, who argued on behalf of the Argentine revolutionary Che Guevara.
Vincent said: “Taking part helped improve our debating skills and confidence speaking in front of an audience. I definitely think it helps you to articulate your point of view more strongly.”
Picture: Former Bridgewater High School pupil Sophie Johnson and ex-Culcheth High pupil James Edwards who argued for Donald Trump and Karl Marx respectively in the Balloon Debate.