That's So SA
Speech & Debate
Speech and Debate at Harvard
Last weekend, members of the Varsity Speech and Debate teams traveled to Cambridge, MA to compete at the Harvard University National Forensics Tournament. This is one of the most significant and widely attended invitationals of the season on the national Speech & Debate circuit. Nearly 450 schools from 35 different states across the United States and Canada traveled to Harvard to compete! Our students had their work cut out for them competing on such a large national stage against so many other national circuit programs.
In Varsity Policy Debate, students competed in seven preliminary debate rounds over the course of two days, for a total of 20+ hours of debating and preparing. The team of Caroline Young '25 and Lukas Updegraff '24 had a standout performance in the Varsity division, and earned a winning record. Caroline and Lukas defeated teams from Chicago, Boston, Minnesota, and New York, and advanced into the elimination rounds of the tournament! This is an incredible feat for these particular students, since they both started competing at the national circuit level just this year. In one season, they have transformed from novice debaters into varsity-level competitors, and to make it to elimination rounds at their final invitational of the year is an impressive accomplishment. This performance also puts Lukas and Caroline in the running for a slot at the National Debate Coaches Association National Championship!
Zadie DeFord '24 and Luca Tonda '24 also won several of their debates, defeating multiple teams from New York and from Texas. They have already qualified for the NDCA National Championship this year.
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.
