On May 4, 2020, a debate contest with the topic “Going to big cities or returning to hometown” organized by Tianjin University’s Postgraduates Volunteer Teaching Group, was held in No.1 Middle School of Tanchang County.
Going to big cities or returning to hometown, which one is the better way for contemporary youth to make achievements? Under the guidance of Tianjin University’s Postgraduates Volunteer Teaching Group, the first-year students fromNo.1 Middle School of Tanchang County, Gansu, formed 22 teams over the two-week debate about topics of their future choices and hometown’s development.
The 22 representative teams from 22 classes devoted with great enthusiasm to the contest. The two-week event had also witnessed the growth and progress of each young debater.
These students on the debate were shy and nervous at first, but gradually became calm and confident. Their focus of argument became broader and more diversified, which evolved from personal interests to the contribution to society, to the nation, and even to human beings. The growth in their extent of mind had brought great surprise to the teachers who participated in the assessment.
In the final contest, students performed a brilliant ‘battle of tongue’, in which they supported the arguments by giving personal experience or citing from classics. ‘These great-minded children are the future of Tanchang County.’ Chen Xiong, the principal of No.1 Middle School of Tanchang County said happily, after watching the students who were originally shy and reticent, spoke calmly and vividly now.
During the contest review, the Postgraduates Volunteer Teaching Group members encouraged the students by saying: ‘It is a rare opportunity for you to think about your future when you are young. This experience will be an unquenchable spark, which gives you hope in every difficult moment.’
On May 19, Chen Xiong, the principal of No.1 Middle School of Tanchang County, together with teacher representatives gave away the prizes which were funded by Tianjin University, to 6 outstanding classes, 16 best debaters, and 5 advisors.
The debate contest came to a successful close, but the members from the Postgraduates Volunteer Teaching Group hoped the reflection brought to the students by the contest would continue. Everyone has his or her unique thoughts apart from the opinions held in the debate, and there are no good or bad answers between the views of the two sides. As long as they grow to be thoughtful, responsible, ambitious and insightful, either going to big cities without leaving the hometown behind, or staying in hometown without getting their outlook limited, they can make achievements and make a difference no matter where they are.
By: Chen Binrui
Editor: Sun Xiaofang
