2023-24 DuVal Debate Team
On Saturday, October14 the DuVal Debate Team participated in the Washington Urban Debate League's season opening tournament. Though it was more than half of the team's first time debating, they put the rest of the league on notice.
The list below are the award winners from Saturday:
Novice Division: out of 44 teams and 81 debaters
- The team of Eric Esparza (3rd place speaker award) and Sangeeth Mathew (2nd place speaker) won 1st place. (3-0)
- The team of Leeneth Jennings and Emily Pivaral (4th place speaker) won 2nd place. (3-0)
- The team of Michelle Chicaslevia and Elizabeth Mussie (12th place speaker won 10th place. (2-1)
Junior Varsity Division: out of 23 teams and 46 debaters
- The team of Tunde Olurunfemi (3rd place speaker) and Sukratulahi Abiola (4th place speaker) won 3rd place after a razor-thin fourth-round loss that knocked them out of first. (3-1)
- Vennela Adiraju won 11th place speaker.
A special shout out to Simone Cubbage who had only been to one practice and came to the tournament to observe, but was unexpectedly thrust into competition and by several accounts displayed a level of natural talent and poise that many seasoned debaters do not.
