HHS Debate Team Captures NYS District and Harvard Championships

The Harrison High School Debate team has notched 15 wins so far this season, most recently capturing the New York State NFL District Championship held at Pelham High School on March 1st and 2nd.  In a first for the Harrison debate program, junior Amy Geller and sophomores Elyssa Alfieri and Kathryn Kenny were named Co-Champions of the event. 

The event selects one Lincoln-Douglas debater from the New York State NFL District, which includes all schools outside of New York City, to qualify for the National Forensic League’s Championship tournament in Kansas this spring.  Based on the students’ competitive records this year, it was determined that Amy will represent Harrison and the NFL District at Nationals this year.

In another debate first, senior Danny DeBois won the varsity division of the Harvard University National Championship for the second consecutive year and became the fourth debater in Harvard’s 30 year history to win the title twice.  Prior to the National Championship, Danny also won the Harvard Round Robin, an invitational event that featured the top 14 debaters in the country.  Danny is the only competitor in Harvard’s history to have won both of these tournaments.

Showing the strength of the debate program at Harrison, freshman Sammi O’Reilly was the junior varsity runner-up at the Harvard tournament.  She was one of nearly 300 debaters from over 20 states.  Sammi is the third Harrison debater in the team’s short history to reach the JV Lincoln-Douglas final round at Harvard.

The HHS freshmen were also impressive at this past weekend’s Lakeland High School’s Westchester Classic, nabbing 4 of the 5 top spots.  Madeline Rawson placed 2nd overall, Matt Zinman placed 3rd, Raffi Piliero was 4th, and Kate Ryan rounded out the top 5.

The HHS Debate Team will be competing at the National Catholic League’s national qualifier on March 15th and the New York State Debate Coaches Association (NYSDCA) State Championship on March 29th and 30th.