C&C Debate Wins the Top School Trophy (Again!)

Congratulations to C&C’s Debate Club for winning the Tournament Award, given to the school with the highest winning percentage, at last weekend’s ESU New York Debate League January Invitational. The one-day event was held at Tuckahoe School on Saturday, January 20, 2024, and featured 50 teams from area schools, including Dalton, Blind Brook, Nightingale-Bamford, and Salk School of Science. C&C has won the Tournament Award at two of the league’s last four events, including the championships last April. 

On Saturday, the 50 teams, five from C&C, competed on three topics: only violent criminals should be imprisoned, cities should ban rideshare apps such as Uber and Lyft, and college is overvalued. One team (Abigail, Katya, and Penelope) was one of three to finish undefeated and won third place out of 50. Collectively, C&C teams finished with a 13-7 record. Three of C&C’s teams finished in the top 10, and three C&C debaters earned recognition as top 10 debaters. 

Our teams were:

Ara T (XIIIs)
Vienna V (XIIIs)
Adeline W (XIIIs)

Sophia D (XIIIs)
Julian S (XIIIs)*
Paolo V (XIIIs)

Abigail N (XIs)
Katya V (XIs)
Penelope S (XIs)

Gia T (XIs)*
Evelyn M (XIs)*
Iyla P (XIs)

West W (XIs)
Freya S (XIs)
Sarah K (Xs)

* Named in the top 10 for individual speaker

“I would, of course, like to see us repeat as Tournament Award winners,” said C&C tournament coach Nick Smart. “That award represents the achievement of every person on the team and takes note of their research and argument crafting in the debate classes run by Debate Club founder Sarah Whittier, their practice rounds with me, and their courage and camaraderie at tournaments.” 

C&C Debate Club’s next event is on March 2 at Fieldston and they will finish the year at Speyer Legacy for the Championships in late April.