The MHS debate team, now in its 4th year, continues to perform at a high level. Three out of the last four years the MHS team has advanced to the semi-final or final round in the state tournament. Last week end Milton High hosted the state tournament and the team earned one of the top awards.

Several hundred students from around the state packed the halls, classrooms, auditorium and library of the high school, competing in various debate events including Policy, Lincoln-Douglas and Public Forum.

Senior Ailsa Jeffries and junior Chris Dsida, one of the Milton High School Debate Teams, advanced to the final round, finishing second in the state. There were  43 competing teams in the competition. Senior Isabelle Smith and Junior Cormac Conners also advanced to the elimination rounds. Individually, Chris Dsida earned third place and Cormac Conners earned fifth place overall out of the 86 competitors in Public Forum Debate. Fantastic!

The MHS  debate team has grown tremendously since its inception in 2009.  What started as a group of four students has evolved into a program of nearly 30 students that compete in approximately 12 local and national tournaments each year.  In addition to local competitions, students have competed at Yale and Harvard Universities, as well as at the National Forensic League and Catholic Forensic League Qualifying tournaments.  As the team’s competition schedule has expanded, the students have simultaneously continued to achieve higher levels of success.

This was Milton High School’s first time hosting this event and everything ran smoothly thanks to the many parent and student volunteers, and the efforts of Debate Team coaches Nancy Warn and Nick Fitzgerald.

The debate team is partnering with MyTownMatters to host the 2nd annual Milton Matters Candidates Forum at Fuller Village on Tuesday, April 9th at Fuller Village (1372 Brush Hill Road). The event begins at 7:00pm and the public is invited. (Photos courtesy of Moira Downes, Milton Public Schools)