Debate
Debate Team
Rebuilding the Crystal debate team has been my passion project for the last four years. While my own experience on the team isn’t what I initially planned, I am proud to leave a far stronger team behind than when I first joined it.
I’ve served as Team Captain of the Debate Team since the team nearly perished in Fall of 2021 after the school administration decided to abandon the debate program. Since then, I’ve constantly been striving to rebuild the program so all students can improve their public speaking skills and current events knowledge. Whether I’m at the podium in front of the entire school advocating for a debate program or attending National Parliamentary Debate League meetings to decide the league tournament rules and debate the use of artificial intelligence in case construction, I’ve sought to broaden my understanding of debate so I can build up my school team.
Recent team success have included winning the Nueva Invitational in 2021, making Octofinals (top 16) at Jon Schamber Invitational (one of the largest debate tournaments) in 2022, and alternates at the California Debate State Qualifiers in 2023.
To ensure the team’s continued success after I graduate, I’ve been constructing a case file library with every debate students’ debate files since I started, along with hiring. Some of the files in this library are viewable down below.
Debate Coaching
All the work I've done is rewarded when their faces burst into smiles and laughter. Coaching gives me the power to influence middle schoolers’ lives and to instill in them the same passion I have for the sport.
In November 2021, Crystal Springs Uplands School looked to start a middle school debate team so that students could build their public speaking skills and self-confidence. I joined as a Debate Supervisor to help guide students through activities as the head coach joined on Zoom.
Starting the year after, I moved up to Assistant Debate Coach, creating and delivering lesson plans, running full practice debate rounds, and energizing the classroom for fun games and activities. I attended tournaments and advised students on case preparation and speech delivery, and the middle school team came away ranking in the top 10 in speaker awards at Stanford Invitational. This year, I lead the advanced middle school debaters’ practices as they prepare to tackle a new season of debate tournaments.
