2025 Tournament Results
Middle School Final Round – Connecticut’s Old State House on May 8, 2025
Middle School Preliminary Rounds – Timothy Edwards Middle School on April 22, 2025
Top Five Speakers
- Simone Kaur, Timothy Edwards Middle School
- Armaan Qureshi, Timothy Edwards Middle School
- Aarna Jaggi, Timothy Edwards Middle School
- Miki Li, Westfield/Wakinson
- Emma Hennessy, Timothy Edwards Middle School
High School Final Rounds – Connecticut’s Old State House on April 3, 2025
High School Preliminary Rounds – Wesleyan University on March 11, 2025
- Inga Weissenberger, Westfield/Watkinson
- Pooravi Srivastava, South Windsor High School
- Linda Chen, Bethany Orange Woodbridge
- Janet Fan, Bethany Orange Woodbridge
- Minh Ho, Academy of Information Technology and Engineering
Background info
The Connecticut Democracy Center Debate Tournament hosts competitive interscholastic team policy debate tournaments for middle and high school students focused on a Connecticut topic. There are two days of competition. The first day entails two preliminary rounds for all teams, then the top 8 advance to a second day of elimination rounds. At both the middle and high school levels, students form two person teams to debate both sides of a current topic. While participants receive preliminary resources, they are encouraged to conduct additional research. Participants use their research to develop both negative and affirmative arguments, learn to cross examine their opposition, and listen attentively in order to rebut their opponent’s arguments. Students are scored in several areas, including delivery and analysis. Participation in CTDC Debate improves students’ public speaking skills, ability to analyze issues and resources, and expertise in using evidence to support arguments.
For more information, please contact
Rebecca Taber, Director of Secondary Education Programs at Rebecca.Taber@ctdemocracycenter.org (860) 240-5342