Lauren Doherty, Features Editor
@ldohertycourant
On Thursday afternoons, you will find Senior Captains Alexis Axon and Johnny Renda leading the debate team through practice, as they work hard preparing for their upcoming tournaments. Next up for the two captains will be the Connecticut Debate Association State Finals, which will take place on March 28th.
Alexis and Johnny both qualified for the state finals early in the season, showing their potential as a successful duo. “This is our first year as partners. I think we have really complementary skill sets. He’s a very passionate speaker and I say what needs to be said,” Alexis said.
The Debate Team travels around to various high schools in Connecticut to compete. Students are paired up and given a topic. Then, the judge will shift between the two teams until a winner is decided.
Teacher Advisor Nancy Stevens says that Alexis and Johnny have been very important team leaders this season. “Alexis and Johnny have been instrumental in a couple of different ways, but most importantly they have been recruiting and encouraging younger members of our team,” she said. “They have worked very closely with me and taken the lead on coming up with different kinds of practices and different drills that can help all students really improve their debate skills.”
Alexis and Johnny are both in agreement with the fact that debate has had a huge impact on their lives. “My freshman year I was one of those kids who was very nervous to present in front of the class, so it’s been really important for me to develop some of those skills over time,” Alexis said.
Not only has the team helped Johnny to increase his confidence, but it has also expanded his horizons on new perspectives and topics. “I think it’s made me a more confident person, but I also think the biggest impact on myself and also all the people that debate alongside me, is the effect of giving a better perspective on things,” Johnny said. “In a debate, you have to see both sides of an issue and just seeing that and having to recognize each perspective on an issue gives you a better sense of what each side likes.”
Johnny plans on attending Dartmouth University in the fall, and he hopes to continue his debating there. “I really enjoyed my experience so far and I’d like to debate in college as well. I’m planning on majoring in gov, but I’m not totally sure yet,” he said. “I do take AP Gov now, it’s good stuff.”
Alexis also takes AP Gov, and while she is yet to decide on a college for the fall, she too hopes to continue debate there.
Alexis and Johnny both credit much of the teams success to the hard work of Ms. Stevens. “She’s been really great in providing us both the freedom and the guidance to lead the club in an effective manner,” Alexis said.
“Ms. Stevens has been the backbone of the team,” Johnny said, “She supports everybody on the team, she understands if people have problems, she guides us through the lessons and helps us clarify and organize our thoughts on tournament day.”
Another key aspect of debate is the strong team dynamic. “I find it amazing how kids who can get up and really debate strongly against an opponent can also be so incredibly supportive,” Ms. Stevens said. “We always get great points for civility and decorum from the judges which makes me really proud as the coach.”
“We operate as a team, we are really supportive of each other. But, I find that the team usually brings individual stylistic differences together,” Ms. Stevens said.
The Debate Team also appears to be set for the future, with talented underclassmen beginning to emerge. “I’ve seen a lot of growth, particularly in our younger members. We had one of our newer members qualify for states at our last tournament, which is really exciting for us. We’ve seen a lot of good progress from a lot of kids,” Alexis said.
The Debate Team is always open to new members, who can compete in the novice division. “The door is always open, some kids come regularly, some come just a few times a month, we try to make debate what everyone needs for themselves or what they can make it for themselves,” Ms. Stevens said.
As the Connecticut State Finals along with the close of the season draws nearer, the Debate Team is both excited for the future and happy with their work this year. “It’s been a really great year, we’ve seen a lot of shining moments from everybody,” Ms. Stevens said.
