The season has begun for the Speech and Debate team. This group of students travels around the DMV to compete in local tournaments against other schools in the area.

These students argue the benefits and drawbacks of current issues like health care, immigration, education, and international conflicts.

Junior Gabe Templeton has been debating for over a year and has debated more than a dozen topics.

“My favorite topic that I have debated was about whether Spain should let Catalonia be independent,” Templeton said. “If I could create a new topic, I would make it about whether we should wage trade wars against China.”

Stone Bridge competes in a local debate league known as Washington Arlington Catholic Forensic League (WACFL). It was established in 1951 as a branch of the National Catholic Forensic League (NCFL). The NCFL was started as a small circuit for private catholic schools around Washington D.C., but soon expanded into a large, public circuit with over 65 high schools competing.

Stone Bridge competes in tournaments for three types of debate (Policy, Public Forum, and Lincoln Douglas) and speech every month. There are three levels of competition: Novice, Junior Varsity, and Varsity

The next tournament is on Nov. 10th at Broad Run. It is a policy tournament, meaning the only style of debate offered is policy debate. Policy debate is focused on future policy changes, like major immigration reform.

Speech and Debate can help students prepare for college, as it gives them experience with essay writing and public performance. It can translate to success after high school as well. Debate develops skills that are useful in careers from acting to being a Supreme Court Justice.

Michael Biddick, the founder and CEO of Fusion PPT, a fast-growing technology firm based out of Washington D.C. has attested that Debate helps him solve complex problems.

“Debate is a critical life skill that not only enables you to communicate well but also helps you think through and analyze complex problems. It is a skill that everyone can learn with hard work and dedication.” Mr. Biddick said in a statement to the  

Very well written.

Add more about schedule.  Provide more details.  When is first tournament.  What are specific areas of competition.