WLMS Pride: Victoria Brown Makes it to National Debate Finals

We are pleased to report that Howard County Capitol Debaters won the Middle School National Policy Debate Championship this past weekend in Dallas, Texas.  The team of Lime Kiln students Nikita Datta and Jake Smith and the team of Lime Kiln student Simon Zhu and Montessori student Daniel Budai advanced all the way to the finals of the Middle School Policy Debate National Championship.  As both teams were from Capitol Debate, they were declared National Co-Champions in Policy Debate.  The team of Ellicott Mills student Gabriel Koo and McDonogh School student Alyssa Resar advanced all the way to the quarterfinals of the national championship.  Simon Zhu was awarded top individual speaker in the United States. 

In Public Forum Debate, the team of Elkridge Landing student Meagan Lane and Wilde Lake student Victoria Brown advanced all the way to the finals of the championship before losing a close debate to Sydney Lanier Middle School of Houston, Texas.  The dynamic twin teams from Lime Kiln Middle School of Joe Smith/Jon Smith and Sonya Datta/Alexis Datta advanced all the way to semifinals.  The team of Hammond student Isabel Slavinsky and Lime Kiln student Athena Kan advanced to the final sixteen in the nation before losing. 

There were over 500 students from 26 states (and 1 territory) and 62 schools at the Middle School National Championships hosted by the National Junior Forensic League.  This marks the third year in a row that Capitol Debaters won the national championship.  Special thanks and congratulations go out to Capitol Debate coaches Daryl Burch, Joshua Weingarten, Cayman Giordano, and all the middle school GT teachers in Howard County that worked with most of these students.  We look forward to defending our title in June 2012 in Indianapolis, Indiana.

Source: Capitol Debate Team Press Release