HHS Debate Team Honored

There's no debating why Harrison High School's newest program is very popular among the students involved.

The Harrison debate team launched at HHS this year and has already been honored after a very successful first year. 

The team has received the Metro-Hudson Award and was honored for program of the year. The Metro-Hudson League is a group of schools that encompasses New York City, debate schools such as The Bronx High School of Science, Regis High School and schools in Westchester such as Scarsdale and Byram Hills.

The team members have local competitions once a week or every couple of weeks before going on to the national level. A debating class usually lasts only 40 minutes, but a debate team session usually goes on for several hours.

HHS Debate Team Coach Chetan Hertzig is proud of the team's recent recognition.

"What's great about the debate program is it really requires kids to not only learn about the issue in depth, but debate it repeatedly and switching sides so that they become familiar with both sides of the controversial issue," Hertzig said.

Richard Haddad, a sophomore who placed fourth at the Regis High School tournament and 13th at Monticello seemed very excited about the new program.

"The debate team is actually a big part of my life, I really enjoy it. It's something I really look forward to every week," Haddad said. "The tournaments are the best part and it's really important to learn critical public speaking skills; how to learn to speak in front of a large crowd-learning how to speak on the spot. I love it - it's probably the best thing that's happened to me in school."

Sophomores Ashley Muller, Ally Brabant, Christina Loguidice, Cayla Pettinato and freshman Peri Mendelsohn are all very proud of their team's accomplishments this year. The students seemed very enthusiastic and looked forward to continuing next year for another round.

Muller placed 15th at the Bronx High School of Science tournament and 1oth at Monticello. She said it was great to see the team do well in the tournaments. Loguidice reached the elimination rounds and made the top thirty-two at Princeton. She enjoys the tournaments because they are educational and informative. Brabant won Monticello's Metro-Hudson League tournament and placed second at Bronx High School of Science's Metro-Hudson League tournament. She also reached the Octofinals, or top sixteen, at Princeton.

"You learn a lot of new information and good speaking skills that will help me in the future," Brabant said.

Pettinato placed 18th at the Bronx tournament and third at Monticello. She was very involved on the debate team and the controversial topics and raved about the experience.

"I absolutely loved it! It's a great group of people and I love being so involved in the topics when I talk to someone about it - it's a great thing."

Freshman Peri Mendelsohn said she has also enjoyed the experience.

"It helps me be a better speaker and learn about things that I don't learn in class," Mendelsohn said.

The Harrison Patch congratulates the debate team and we wish them the best of luck next year.