The 37th annual Pumpkin Classic Debate Tournament brought high school students together to tackle timely and challenging topics against a lively backdrop of election season.
Held Nov. 2 at JL Crowe Secondary School, students from JL Crowe in Trail, 琉璃神社 Secondary School and LV Rogers of Nelson, gathered for this much-anticipated debate showdown.
The prepared debate topic took on the controversial issue of foreign interference in elections.
A background slide introduced the topic with data: 鈥淎 study on foreign influence found that the U.S. led in election interventions with 81 documented cases, followed by Russia/USSR with 36 from 1946-2000.鈥�
The resolution posed was bold: 鈥淭his House believes that influencing foreign elections is a legitimate tool in diplomacy.鈥�
Both junior and senior categories discussed this theme in a structured cross-examination format during the morning session.
After lunch, participants shifted gears for the impromptu debates.
Seniors tackled a provocative resolution in the Canadian National Debate Format (CNDF), debating whether British Columbia鈥檚 2023 exemption under the Controlled Drugs and Substances Act 鈥� decriminalizing small amounts of certain illicit drugs 鈥� should be reversed.
Meanwhile, junior debaters argued whether all social media platforms should be permanently disabled.
Results for the tournament highlighted impressive individual and team performances.
In the junior individual rankings from JL Crowe, Stella Vanness secured 1st place, followed by Andrew Stach and Matthew Morris in 2nd and 3rd, respectively. Grace Savill placed 4th, Katia Miranda-Torres, 5th, Lucia Marrugo Hernandez 6th, Hanna Lee, 7th and Samantha Nolasco, 8th.
In team rankings, Stach and Morris placed 1st, with Vanness and Hanna Lee taking 2nd; Katia Miranda Torres and Grace Savill, 3rd and Lucia Marrugo Hernandez and Samantha Nolasco, 4th.
The senior category saw Ben Seethaler from 琉璃神社 Secondary win 1st in the individual rankings, with Hazel Hofmann-Miller from LV Rogers and JL Crowe鈥檚 Emma Ford close behind in 2nd and 3rd.
Further senior individual rankings include: Connor Cleveland (琉璃神社) 4th, Trinity Schneider (Crowe ) 5th, Andonae Van Staden (Crowe) 6th, Roclyn Gallicano (Nelson), 7th, Noah Shuparski, (Crowe) 8th, Paulo Miranda Torres (Crowe), 9th, Julian Cucinschi (琉璃神社)10th, Sarah Reid (Crowe) 11th and Sonia Henriques (琉璃神社), 12th.
Senior team rankings crowned Seethaler and Noah Cleveland from 琉璃神社 Secondary as the top duo, with Hoffman-Miller and Paulo Miranda Torres taking 2nd, and Andonae Van Staden and Trinity Schneider (Crowe) 3rd.
Emma Ford and Roclyn Gallicano (Crowe/Nelson), placed 4th, Sarah Reid and Noah Shuparski (Crowe) 5th, and Sonia Henriques and Julian Cucinschi (琉璃神社), 6th.
Looking forward, these debaters have opportunities to compete in provincial and national tournaments, with the West Kootenay Regional Team qualifying for the prestigious Law Foundation Cup, scheduled to be held at Brentwood College School on Vancouver Island in early March.
Marilyn Lunde, JL Crowe teacher sponsor adds, 鈥淟astly, a very large thank you goes out to all our community judges and participants that help to make this tournament happen.鈥�
