Juniors Caroline Mallory and Rekha Marar Prepare for a Round. (Courtesy/Darnell Heywood)

The Academy Debate Team kick-started its third season with a successful performance at the Fourth Annual Kenyon College Forensics Classic on Saturday, November 18. Forty-two teams attended the match, hosted by Mt. Vernon. The team’s co-president, junior Kyle Channel, and first-year debater, Ezra Johnson’20, took an outstanding 3rd place, which puts them on the map in future matches for states.

The team’s immense growth since its inaugural year in 2015, has increased from 9 to 21 team members.

Academy competes in Public Forum, a category featuring pairs, who debate a formal “resolution” regarding foreign or domestic policy. CA sent nine teams that prepared extensively under new co-coach, Nate Stewart, for this month’s topic: “Resolved: The U.S. should require universal background checks on all gun sales and transfers of ownership.” Pro and con arguments are determined by a coin toss, which  determines—on the spot—the side a pair must argue during a round.  

Channel and his fellow co-president, Andy Zhang’18 credit the team’s success to Coach Nate Stewart, an OSU doctoral student and nationally-ranked collegiate debater. Academy’s Debate Team started with a small group of ambitious students, aimed at making their mark in the Public Forum. In its first year, a team made it to states and nationals. Now with qualified coaching from Stewart, members have access to case writing and concept frameworks that are essential to their success.

Looking to the future, Channel said, “I believe the sky is the limit. We’re the most talented team I believe the school has ever had.” This year’s team featured many senior leaders as well as returning juniors and a group of extremely talented sophomores. Channel and Zhang hope to send several teams to the state competition held in March of next year. Channel was part of the duo that placed as a finalist at the state tournament last year.