Success is determined more by privilege than hard work. This was the topic up for debate between BRSC and Mount Gambier students, which was livestreamed to kick of the 80th exchange events and celebrations.
Students Grace, Layla, and Mitchell claimed the debating shield for BRSC after making a convincing case in the negative.
Year 12 student Grace was also named speaker of the day.
“It was a very hard debate to mark, we saw a lot of great points by both teams,” said the adjudicator.
“Ultimately today, we’ve decided to award the win to Berri Regional Secondary College, their speakers were more compelling and had the structure we were looking for.”
Defining success and downside of privilege
The BRSC team set out to define success as more than career status or wealth and that opportunity alone does not guarantee success.
“Many people are given opportunities but fail to take advantage of them due to their lack of effort or discipline,” Year 12 student Layla said in her opening statements.
She made the point that privilege can create pressure, expectations, and high, unachievable standards, citing research that found excessive parental expectations brought increased stress, anxiety, and fear of failure among young people.
“The privilege often comes with the burden of living up to family expectations and high standards,” she said.
Elite education not a guarantee of success
Year 11 student and second speaker Mitchell rebutted claims that attending an elite school was more likely to lead to success.
He said that access to knowledge was more readily available in today’s world, making education less dependent on privilege.
“Elite schools may offer advantages but they cannot guarantee success without effort, ultimately it is consistency, curiosity, and hard work that determines outcomes, not the name of the institution.
“Many successful individuals have come from under-resourced schools, showing their motivation and discipline outweigh institutional prestige.”
Mitchell also rebutted the often-cited claim that attending an elite school can lead to better networking.
“While connections may open doors, they cannot sustain success… networking itself is a skill that can be developed through confidence, communication, and initiative.”
Grace provided the final address for BRSC, identifying and rebutting claims made by the opposing team.
One of these was that the privilege of better social-economic conditions improved health and wellbeing, which increased the chances of success.
Grace said that while improved health and living conditions may reduce obstacles, they do not determine the outcome.
“Adversity often builds discipline and mental strength,
“Success is determined by how individuals respond to challenges, not the absence of them.”
The Berri debating team was coached by English teacher Kevin Barber and the livestream hosted by Arts teacher Brenden Baldock and former student and media trainee Melody Baldock.
The debate was the first event to be held this year, ahead of the sporting events in Mount Gambier.
The exchange is celebrating 80 years, making it the longest running school exchange in Australia.
