Over the extended Martin Luther King Jr. weekend, members of the debate team traveled to Orlando to compete in The Great Debate: the 2026 National Civics and Debate Championship, a national tournament that brought together more than 600 middle and high school students from 15 states.
Organized by the Florida Department of Education, the Florida Education Foundation, the Florida Civics and Debate Initiative, and the Florida Debate Initiative, the competition challenged students across three demanding events: Impromptu Speaking, Extemporaneous Debate, and Legislative Debate.
Invited to bring three students, the team was represented by junior Zurich Ronert, freshman Edward “Teo” Azqueta, and eighth grader Lucas Hill. Despite differences in age and experience, the trio competed with confidence, adaptability, and a strong sense of teamwork.
Saturday morning began with three rounds of Impromptu Speaking, where students had limited time to prepare speeches on topics ranging from the Civil Rights Movement to civic responsibility and even “Dinner Conversations with World Leaders.” Against a field of roughly 200 middle school competitors, Hill placed 86th. In the high school division of nearly 400 students, Azqueta placed 80th and Ronert 249th.
The judges consistently praised Hill for his confidence, creativity, and depth of thought.
One judge wrote, “You have the knowledge,” while another highlighted his delivery, noting that his “gestures, volume, and facial expressions added to [his] performance.”
His ability to connect more abstract topics to real-world examples stood out, with a judge commenting, “I like that you linked taxes to school and public services to relevant and relatable topics to the audience.”
Saturday afternoon transitioned into Legislative Debate, where students debated contemporary policy issues such as a carbon tax, AI education, gun control, and Family and Medical Leave Act. Hill placed 104th, Azweta 115th, and Ronert 117th.
For freshman Teo Azqueta, the tournament represented both a challenge and an opportunity.
“This competition was a lot larger than my usual competition. Normally, there are about 30 people in debate but this one had hundreds. It was a great opportunity for me to really hone my debate skills and improve under pressure,” Azqueta explained.
Unlike Azqueta’s usual public forum debates, which are two on two, all three events at the Great Debate were one on one.
“These were completely new events for me so while I understood the styles vaguely, some of the other members of debate helped me to prepare. Finely Allen for example, normally participates in the Congress event so she was really helpful as I was writing my speeches. This tournament specifically really helped me in thinking on the spot because I really couldn’t prepare for any of the events,” Azqueta shared.
Judges took note of this growth. One commented on Teo’s ability to connect personally with his audience: “Nice job engaging the audience with a personal story. Your organization was also very clear.”
Sunday morning concluded the weekend with Extemporaneous Debate on topics such as checks and balances, the Monroe Doctrine, and founding documents. Hill finished with a strong 4-2 record, placing 48th overall. Azqueta and Robert both finished 3-3, placing 180th and 190th respectively.
Robert’s performances were marked by composure and clarity under pressure. Judges highlighted his historical knowledge and organization, with one writing that he “did a great job with explaining the civil rights movement” and another summarizing their decision simply: “Zurich kept it together.” Debate Team Faces Hundreds at National Civics and Debate Championship
Beyond rankings though, the tournament reflected the broader value of debate.
“Being on the debate team has been a great experience so far. I feel a lot more confident in my writing and public speaking skills as well as my ability to research specific topics,” Azqueta said
The team gives special thanks to the students’ mothers for bringing them up to Orlando and for judging throughout the weekend, and to their many teachers in the MS and US who helped shape the intellectual and character foundations that allowed them the confidence and skills to achieve on a National level.
