News Detail
SA's First Ever Policy Debate Tournament is a Success!
Fourteen Sonoma Academy debaters rose before dawn to head to Concord High School to compete against nearly 500 debaters from across the Bay Area this past Saturday. Crossing the foggy marshes on Highway 37, Senior Liam Kolling noted the Heart of Darkness-esque way that the sky was welded to the horizon. The van full of debaters chatted with a nervous energy, asking lots of last minute questions about policy debate rules and terminology. This was Sonoma Academy's first ever policy debate tournament. Policy debate is the oldest form of competitive high school debate which requires evidence-based argumentation on the year-long, national topic, Resolved: The United States federal government should substantially curtail its domestic surveillance.
SA's first foray into policy debate was a success! In the novice division, Claire Stephens '19 & Emily Ibanez Arroyo '19 earned a winning record while honorable mention goes to Reece Stromberg '19 & Gibran Hassan '19 for being only 1 win away from a trophy.
In the Varsity division (even though this was their first policy tournament) Jack Greenberg '16 & Liam Kolling '16 and Connor Duncan '17 & Aris Saxena '17 earned winning records. In fact, SA was the only school in the Varsity division to have 2 teams earn winning records!
Huge thanks to parents, Kim Stephens and Robert Stromberg, who volunteered their whole Saturdays to drive to and judge at the tournament. Next up, Parli and Policy debaters head down to LA with the SA Speech team to compete at the CSU Fullerton Invitational over the Fall long weekend.
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SA policy debaters celebrating after a long day of competition. Pictured with Assistant Coaches (and UC Berkeley debaters) Lani Frazer, far left and Josh Martin, back right.
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Sonoma Academy Is...
...the only private, independent, college preparatory high school in Sonoma County. On our beautiful campus nestled at the base of Taylor Mountain in Southeastern Santa Rosa, our students are able to explore their interests and passions in a rigorous and inspiring environment that develops a lifelong love of learning and prepares them for college and beyond.
Sonoma Academy admits students of any race, color, religion, ethnicity or national origin, citizenship, gender or gender identity and expression, sexual orientation, or disability, to all the rights, privileges, programs, and activities generally accorded or made available to students at the school. The school does not discriminate on the basis of race, color, religion, ethnicity or national origin, citizenship, gender or gender identity and expression, sexual orientation, or disability in administration of its educational policies, admissions policies, scholarship and tuition assistance programs, and athletic and other school-administered programs.
