C&C Shines at Debate Championships
City and Country School made a standout showing at the New York Debate League Championship on April 26 at Tuckahoe High School, competing alongside 64 teams and 189 speakers from 18 public and independent schools, including Dalton, Fieldston, Nightingale, and BASIS Manhattan.
Penelope (7th), West (8th), and Katya (10th) placed among the top ten speakers, with Abigail close behind in 24th. The team of Freya, Sarah, and West advanced to the public final round, finishing with an impressive 5–1 record.
Students debated timely topics—from mandatory national service and the Cuban embargo to facial recognition in public spaces—demonstrating the clarity, preparation, and critical thinking that define C&C’s approach.
The tournament also marked a meaningful milestone: the final championship led by Sarah Whittier ’67, XIIs teacher and founder of the Debate Club, who will retire this year. Sarah launched the club in 2012 to help students strengthen their writing through structured argument and discourse.
“While developing the skills of argumentation and public speaking are the primary goals,” she reflected, “I always remind kids that debate will improve their ability to organize their thoughts into a logical sequence. It will help with writing in general—especially research writing.”
She fondly recalled the club’s beginnings: “We joined the New York Debate League only after early members Alex Benjamin, Alex Hadley, and Camilla Green begged me to compete. I researched city leagues and chose this one because it best fit my ethos of learning first—as opposed to winning first, which of course kids like to do.”
C&C looks forward to building on the legacy Sarah established as students return to competition in 2025–26.
