Participation in The Great Debate, Florida’s National Civics and Debate Championship, Tripled in Size with More Than 400 Students Competing
The Floridant/10252416

~ All 67 Districts Are Now Participating in Florida's Civics and Debate Initiative ~

TALLAHASSEE, Fla. — Last weekend, 420 students from around the country gathered in Orlando to compete in The Great Debate: Florida's National Civics and Debate Competition. Participation in the competition has tripled since Governor DeSantis launched the Florida Civics and Debate Initiative (FCDI) in 2019. FCDI, the host of The Great Debate, now can boast that all 67 school districts in Florida have established a middle or high school debate team as part of this initiative.

"The Florida Civics and Debate Initiative teaches students civics education, which is important to ensure future generations understand our nation's core values," said Governor Ron DeSantis. "Congratulations to this year's contest winners and thank you to the more than 400 students from across the country who came to Florida to participate in The Great Debate."

"Florida is leading the way in civics education, and we are proud that our national hallmark event is growing exponentially along with the Florida Civics and Debate Initiative," said Commissioner of Education Manny Diaz, Jr. "The Great Debate provides an opportunity for Florida to reinvigorate public debate and civil discourse while simultaneously enriching students' understanding of the democratic values of our country."

"The Great Debate is beginning to shape into the event that we've imagined from the beginning," said Rebecca Matthews, Board Chairman of the Florida Education Foundation. "We are thrilled students from all over the country came to provide our Florida students with out-of-state competitors."

"As a veteran, I appreciated seeing our youth engage in civic debate over Veterans Day weekend," said John Duebel, Director of the Florida Civics and Debate Initiative. "The Great Debate provided students the chance to enhance their civic knowledge while challenging their debate skills."

The Great Debate crowned 67 winners for both the middle school and high school divisions. Judges scored the students on Congressional Debate, Impromptu Speaking and Extemporaneous Debate. Winners were selected for each event as well as overall winners for middle and high school. The top five winners for each division and event are:

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Overall – Middle School Division

• Champion – Ann Moywaywa, Abraham Lincoln Middle School, Gainesville
• 2^nd Place – Natalie Sierra, iPrep Academy North, Miami
• 3^rd Place – Truitt Williams, South Sumter Middle School, Webster
• 4^th Place – Gerardo Cardoso, Wildwood Middle/High School, Wildwood
• 5^th Place – Jorge Herrera, iPrep Academy North, Miami

Overall – High School Division

• Champion – Saaya Lijo, Apopka High School, Apopka
• 2^nd Place – Christian Bailey, Fort Walton Beach High School, Fort Walton Beach
• 3^rd Place – Jonathan Adler, Coral Academy of Science, Las Vegas, Nevada
• 4^th Place – Katelyn Ryan, Aberdeen Central High School, Aberdeen South Dakota
• 5^th Place – Will Waller, Samuel W Wolfson High School, Jacksonville

Congressional Debate – Middle School Division

• Champion – Ann Moywaywa, Abraham Lincoln Middle School, Gainesville
• 2^nd Place – Truitt Williams, South Sumter Middle School, Webster
• 3^rd Place – Ty Mack, iPrep Academy North, Miami
• 4^th Place – Gerardo Cardoso, Wildwood Middle/High School, Wildwood
• 5^th Place – Pierre Lascaze, iPrep Academy North, Miami

Congressional Debate – High School Division

• Champion – Ewa Tryniszewski, Wellington Community High School, Wellington
• 2^nd Place – Hunter Hayes, Lake Nona High School, Orlando
• 3^rd Place – Vedha Ubale, Lake Nona High School, Orlando
• 4^th Place – Samuel Nuebel, Apopka High School, Apopka
• 5^th Place – Savannah Sisk, Lake Buena Vista High School, Orlando

Extemporaneous Debate – Middle School Division

• Champion – Ann Moywaywa, Abraham Lincoln Middle School, Gainesville
• 2^nd Place – Nathan Moronta, iPrep Academy North, Miami
• 3^rd Place – Michael Huan, Abraham Lincoln Middle School, Gainesville
• 4^th Place – Truitt Williams, South Sumter Middle School, Webster
• 5^th Place – Krupa Augustin, Valley Ridge Academy, Ponte Vedra Beach

Extemporaneous Debate – High School Division

• Champion – Esly Villeda Castillo, Wildwood Middle/High School, Wildwood
• 2^nd Place – Saaya Lijo, Apopka High School, Apopka
• 3^rd Place – Colton Collins, Okeechobee High School, Okeechobee
• 4^th Place – Jonathan Adler, Coral Academy of Science, Las Vegas, Nevada
• 5^th Place – Abdul-Aziz Khanfar, Suncoast High School, Riviera Beach

Impromptu Speaking – Middle School Division

• Champion – Ann Moywaywa, Abraham Lincoln Middle School, Gainesville
• 2^nd Place – Jorge Herrera, iPrep Academy North, Miami
• 3^rd Place – Mia Yu, Abraham Lincoln Middle School, Gainesville
• 4^th Place – Caressa Birks, Pembroke Pines Charter School Middle West, Pembroke Pines
• 5^th Place – Selena Dexter, Alachua Learning Academy, Gainesville

Impromptu Speaking – High School Division

• Champion – Will Waller, Samuel W Wolfson High School, Jacksonville
• 2^nd Place – Vaughn Van Dyck, Lake Brantley High School, Altamonte Springs
• 3^rd Place – Bryson Frick, Broken Arrow Senior High School, Broken Arrow, Oklahoma
• 4^th Place – Ayla Geoghegan, Samuel W Wolfson High School, Jacksonville
• 5^th Place – Peter Moywaywa, Eastside High School, Gainesville

Inspiring Coach Award

• Melissa Gordon, Lake Buena Vista High School, Orlando
• Derek Antoniazzi, Lake Nona High School, Orlando
• Cathy Brown, Apopka High School, Apopka

Freedom Cup Award

• Wesley Liu, Pacific Bay Christan School, Pacifica, California

For a complete list of winners, visit The Great Debate.

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Florida Civics and Debate Initiative

Florida is leading the way in strengthening civics instruction and education in Florida's kindergarten through postsecondary schools. In 2019, the Florida Department of Education and the Florida Education Foundation established a statewide debate program that focused on civics education. The Florida Civics and Debate Initiative (FCDI) is the first of its kind to use debate specifically as a tool to enrich civics education and to have incredibly strong support from state leaders.

To learn more about the Florida Civics and Debate Initiative, visit www.civicsanddebate.com.

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For more information about the Florida Department of Education, visit www.fldoe.org.

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