FCS Debate Team Finishes Second in State Parliamentary Debate

On April 8 and 9, the Friends’ Central School Upper School Debate Team traveled to Susquehanna University to compete in the Pennsylvania High School Speech League (PHSSL) State Debate Tournament, finishing second in the entire state of Pennsylvania in the Parliamentary Debate.

The team, consisting of seniors Austin Margulies, Avital Schweitzer, and Lily Snider, qualified for the PHSSL State Championship after finishing second in the District 10 Parliamentary Debate in February. Then, last weekend at Susquehanna University’s State Championship, they advanced to the finals in a field of 24 teams in the category of Parliamentary Debate, besting last year’s State Champions, Southwestern High School in Hanover, PA, in the quarterfinal round and defeating the District 10 first place finishers, rival Harriton High School, in the semifinal round.

Although they finally succumbed to Mount St. Clair High School, a debate powerhouse from Pittsburgh, PA, the FCS team members, and their supportive advisor, Upper School math teacher Brad Morris, could not be more thrilled with their performance. Avital Schweitzer comments, “It was surreal. We did not expect it at all.” Austin Margulies shares, “A team like us, one that focuses on style and content, not just content, doesn’t usually get recognized. But this year, our form was recognized as valuable.”

Austin, Avital, and Lily have been participating in the Debate Team together for all four years of their Upper School career, making this a true team experience for the three of them. Avital Schweitzer explains, “We are friends who work really well together. We function as a team, not as individuals on a team. Other teams don’t value that teamwork aspect as much.” Lily Snider also shares, “The three of us are all so connected to one another, and our styles complement each other in a way that’s almost telepathic. We’ve really gotten this thing perfected, after being together since freshmen year.”

Relying on what they’ve learned in the classroom at Friends’ Central instead of cramming last-minute facts during the Debate itself, which is what many other teams do, is a significant difference between the FCS team and other teams. Morris explains, “Friends’ Central’s values, as well as the students’ academic experiences, were clearly reflected in their arguments. Whether the topic was affirmative action or literature texts in high school, our debate team members were using what they learned at our school to their advantage.”

The Friends’ Central Team not only competed and did well at States, but they did so with passion – which is what separates FCS from other teams. They were also able to relax, have fun, and enjoy the entire experience of being at the State Championship, something that not every team is able to do. Morris shares, “One of the things that set this team apart was the way our students worked together. They seemed to debate as one with passion and conviction. It was clear that they were really enjoying the experience together. They were a true team, and they were having fun.”

Austin shares, “We had the most compassion during our debates, and we were the team that was staying after our debate, talking to the judges. We made it so far because we run on passion.”