This is the final debate update of the 2013 Fall Season. The Kinkaid Debate team has achieved significant success locally, in Chicago, at the most competitive tournament in the country sponsored by Glenbrook North High School and Glenbrook South High School, and in Austin, at the largest tournament in the state of Texas sponsored by the University of Texas.
The Kinkaid debate team recently traveled, through the ice and snow, to the University of Texas to compete against 120 schools from across the country. The Longhorn Classic is a Tournament of Champions qualifier in both policy and Lincoln-Douglas debate, and it draws schools from as far away as New York and California.
Kinkaid achieved significant success. The team was awarded the 2nd place overall sweepstakes award for the collective success of the entire team, both middle and upper schools. This is no small feat as Kinkaid is a small school and the team barely lost to Westwood High School, a school significantly larger in size. The successes of the Kinkaid debate team included:
- Policy - Juniors Reece Rosenthal and Rikki Bleiweiss reached the semifinals, losing a close round to the top team from Jenks High School (OK). Reece and Rikki received their 3rd bid to the Tournament of Champions. Reece was awarded the 2nd overall speaker award (out of over 200) and Rikki was awarded the 3rd overall speaker.
- Policy - The first year/sophomore team of Sabrina Bajwa and Sita Yerramsetti reached the quarterfinals (top 8), and received a bid to the Tournament of Champions. They lost their quarterfinals to the top team from Bronx High School of Sciences (NY), the eventual tournament winner. This is truly remarkable! Sabrina is the first freshman that has received a bid to the TOC in my time at Kinkaid, and likely one of the only in the history of Kinkaid.
- Public Forum - seniors Roma Patel and Alina Valera placed 3rd (semifinals). Roma was awarded the 4th overall speaker, out of over 120 students. Roma and Alina are now almost fully qualified for the TFA state tournament.
- Lincoln-Douglas - junior Tyler Gamble placed in the top 8, losing a close 2-1 decision to Cypress Woods High School.
- Lincoln-Douglas - Kinkaid had 5 of 7 competitors reach the elimination rounds. Michael Sands, junior, placed in the top 16 (octofinals), and the team had three more in the top 32 including sophomore Emma Hanan and first years Anvi Nandish & Vivian Liu.
- JV Lincoln-Douglas - Kinkaid middle school dominated with 5 students reaching the elimination rounds, with two in semifinals (2 of the top 4).
The weekend prior to Thanksgiving, the Kinkaid debate team traveled to Chicago to compete at the largest and most competitive national level tournament. Several hundred schools, representing over 30 states, attended the Glenbrooks tournament.
- Kinkaid achieved success in policy debate with Reece Rosenthal and Rikki Bleiweiss placed in the top 32 out of almost 200 teams. Reece and Rikki lost their first elimination round to the top team from St. Marks (Dallas).
Finally, locally, the Kinkaid team competed at two tournaments, sponsored by Cypress Creek High School and Westfield High School. The team’s successes included:
- Vivian Liu placed in the top 16 (octofinals) in LD at Cypress Creek High School. Vivian has received significant points towards qualifying for TFA state.
- Alex Kalai placed in the top 16 (octofinals) in LD at Westfield High School.
- The public forum team of Roma Patel and Alina Valera placed in the top 8 of Westfield High School.