Fine Finish at the Winter Fulford Debate Tournament

On Saturday, February 28, two students represented Greenwood at the Fulford Debate Tournament at Pickering College. Maya Kassam ‘28 and Naomi Rubenstein ‘28 had an amazing result with the team placing fourth overall out of 19 competing schools. On an individual basis, Maya ‘28 ranked 6th out of nearly 40 competitors. The duo had prior experience debating at previous Fulford Debate Tournaments. 

This year’s tournament consisted of three rounds, with each person paired with a new partner in each round. All teams were given the resolution ahead of the tournament to allow for each debater to prepare their arguments for the first two rounds. Maya and Naomi practised their arguments for and against the resolution in their Debate Club meetings at Greenwood. Students must demonstrate their ability to argue for and against the resolution in those first two rounds. The last round had an impromptu resolution that none of the teams knew beforehand. The impromptu resolution tested the debaters’ capacity to think on their feet.

Reflecting on their experiences at the winter tournament, both Maya and Naomi remarked on their growth and improvement. “I could see my growth as a debater,” says Maya. “You also get to learn from the person you’re paired up with. It’s interesting to see how they debate.”

“It’s rewarding when you realize your practice pays off,” adds Naomi. “Last year, I couldn’t speak for more than three minutes but this year I could speak for at least five minutes straight.” 

Both students also acknowledge how their debating skills help bolster other areas of their learning skills. “Debating has helped with my presentation skills, but it’s also helped me see and understand different perspectives,” says Naomi. For Maya, she noted that debating has helped her essay writing skills since it “teaches me how to pick a perspective and support it with arguments.” 

Maya and Naomi would both recommend other students attend the Fulford Debate Tournaments as the tournament is structured to be helpful for beginners and there’s many opportunities to learn from others.

Congratulations to Maya and Naomi for their excellent results!