Two St. Luke’s Debaters At Worlds Tournament in South Africa

There’s no debate—it’s tremendous news that St. Luke’s award-winning Debate Team has two students competing in The World Individual Debating and Public Speaking Championship (WIDPSC).

St. Luke's Debate Team co-captains Chloe Kekedjian (New Canaan) and Bilal Memon (Norwalk), both seniors, are in South Africa this week for the April 9-15 tournament and will compete with debaters from around the globe.

Qualification for the competitive Worlds tournament is based on placement in the numerous Debating Association of New England Independent Schools (DANEIS) tournaments throughout the year. During four years on St. Luke’s Debate Team, Chloe and Bilal and have consistently won or placed as top debaters. Their most recent accomplishment was qualifying for the CT State Finals for the second year in a row.

At the Worlds tournament, participants must compete in four different events: Debate, Impromptu Speaking, Persuasive or After Dinner Speaking and Interpretive Reading. According to the WIDPSC website, the championship “targets tomorrow's leaders— students in a global market who must learn to interact and collaborate with peers from diverse schools, cultural backgrounds, and countries.”

In 2015, St. Luke’s Eliza Posner ‘16 (New Canaan) competed in the Worlds debate tournament held in Hong Kong.

St. Luke's is a secular private school in New Canaan, CT for grades 5-12. St. Luke's mission is an exceptional education that inspires a deep love of learning, a strong moral compass, the commitment to serve, and the confidence to lead. St. Luke's Center for Leadership advances our mission by helping students develop exceptional leadership ability. A kind, inclusive community awaits you at St. Luke's.