Archive 2009-2010 (in reverse chronological order)

Junior National Debating Championships The 2010 Junior National Championships were held in Calgary, Alberta in May. Quebec was represented by six teams: from Lower Canada College the team of David Marcovitch and Matthew Azrieli, as well as the team of Lilani Pretorius and Melissa Cape, the Selwyn team of Josh Cape and Josh Dannenbaum, as well as Jeremy Obrand and Euirim Choi, the Vincent Massey team of Liana Cusmano and Nicholas Lenart, and also the team from The Study consisting of Sabrina Roy and Sarah Battat. The format of the tournament had us debate two prepared rounds in cross-ex format, followed by the familiar national debate format. The top Quebec team was the team from The Study, who made it all the way to the semi-finals. The tournament was won by Halifax Grammar School. Click here for the team results.

Donahoe Cup Debating Tournament In late April, a total of eight teams from LCC and Vincent Massey travelled to Halifax for the annual Donahoe Cup Tournament which included 50 teams from Manitoba, Quebec, Ontario, Nova Scotia and New Brunswick. The tournament consisted of two separate categories - junior and senior. Three Quebec teams made the quarter-finals in the senior category. The Vincent Massey team of Megan Gagliano and Cynthia Siino defeated the LCC team of Michael Zimmermann and Lisa Shell-Schnitzer. The LCC team of David Wagner and Zachary Baker also was defeated in quarter-finals. Megan and Cynthia lost a very close match in the semi-finals. The Vincent Massey team of Liana Cusmano and Nicholas Lenart finished 2nd in the junior category, losing a close match in the finals. The LCC team of Lilani Pretorius and David Marcovitch were quarter-finalists. Liana Cusmano was the top speaker in the junior category, while Cynthia Siino was 4th in senior. Click here for the junior division team and individual results. Click here for the senior division team and individual results.

Junior Provincials Results LCC hosted the Junior Provincials. There were a total of four rounds of debate to select the teams that would represent us at the Junior Nationals in Calgary in May. The provincial champion team was Liana Cusmano and Nicholas Lenart from Vincent Massey. Sarah Battat from The Study was the top speaker. Click here for team and individual results.

Queens Debating Tournament A number of teams from LCC, The Study and Vincent Massey were among the 74 teams who attended the Queen's tournament. The LCC team of Sam Gurman and Sammy Rappaport finished 4th losing in the semi-finals. Click here for results.

Provincial Championships The 2009-10 QSDA Provincial Championships were held at Vincent Massey on Feb. 5. The prepared topic was about paying for organ transplants, and this was followed by two impromptu topics. First place with a 4-0 record went to Sammy Rappaport and Michael Zimmermann from LCC, and second place also at 4-0 went to the Vincent Massey team of Liana Cusmani and Alex Isak. The top speaker was Katie Rochford from Trafalgar. The top 6 teams officially qualify for the National Championships to be held in Victoria in April. The remaining teams are Katie Rochford and Jess Michelin (Trafalgar), Cynthia Siino and Megan Gagliano (Vincent Massey), Matthew Slimovitch and Olivier Elmoznino (West Island College) and Sarah Battat and Sophie Berube (The Study). Click here for individual and team results.

Results from ECS Tournament On Monday, January 24, ECS hosted the second junior tournament of the year. The top team in the tournament was Claire Kelly and Lara Antebi from Trafalgar, while second place went to Andrew Hamilton and Victor Zhao from LCC. The top speaker in the tournament was Sarah Battat from The Study. Click here for individual and team results.

Marianopolis Tournament Results A total of 24 teams participated in the annual "Aristotle Cup" tournament. There were two rounds of impromptu debate followed two rounds of squirrelling and the final round. In the finals, the LCC team of Sammy Rappaport and Evan Wesier defeated the LCC team of Zachary Baker and David Wagner. The semi-finalists were the Royal West team of Ariel Shapiro and Jesse Carmichael, and the Royal West / Study team of Janna Shapiro and Sophie Berube. Sammy Rapport was top speaker. Click here for individual and team results.

Carleton University Results A total of 10 teams from LCC and Selwyn House traveled to Ottawa for the annual Xerxes Cup high school tournament. A total of 42 teams were in attendance. The tournament was won by Sam Gurman and Sammy Rappaport who turned in impressive performances and ultimately beat Ashbury in the finals. Sam Gurman was also named top speaker. Click here for individual and team results.

Oxford and Asper Cup Results The Oxford and Asper Cup tournaments were combined into one prestigious event held at Gray Academy in Winnipeg. Quebec was represented by five teams. The teams were Sam Gurman and Sammy Rappaport from LCC, Cynthia Siino and Megan Gagliano from Vincent Massey, Daniel Knight and Harry Cape from Selwyn, Sarah Battat and Sophie Berube from The Study and Katie Rochford and Jessica Michelin from Trafalgar. The tournament was won by West Point Grey Academy. Click here for individual and team results.

ESU Public Speaking Competition The English Speaking Union of Canada once again hosted the HSBC National Public Speaking Competition in Montreal. Hosted the day after the McGill high school tournament, there was an opportunity for many schools to attend that would not otherwise be able to. We had 27 competitors from Winnipeg to Halifax speaking on the theme "Mapping the Global Future". A total of seven students were selected for the finals, and in a remarkable feat, three students in the final tied with the same score for first! Using a tie-breaking criteria that was based on number of first place votes, the first place speaker was Ethan Chess of St. Paul's in Winnipeg, second place was Jordyn Benattar from Branksome Hall in Toronto, and third place was Elizabeth Stratton also from Branksome. Many thanks to everyone who attended and especially to HSBC for their sponsorship. Click here for results.

Results from McGill Debating Tournament ver 100 teams from across Canada competed at the McGill High School Tournament. Two Quebec teams made quarter-finals. The Study team of Sarah Battat and Sophie Berube lost in the quarter-finals and finished 8th, and the LCC team of Sammy Rappaport and Sam Gurman lost in the semi-finals finishing 4th. Click here for results.

Results from The Study Junior Invitational Debating Tournament On Friday, October 23rd, The Study School hosted this year's first junior invitational tournament. There were three rounds of debate, the first two on the prepared motion: Be it resolved that the vaccine for the H1N1 virus be mandatory for all Canadians. Janna Shapiro and Christopher Laett-Babcock from Royal West Academy were the tournament's champions. Janna was also the tournament's top speaker. Congratulations to all the Juniors who competed and put on a fantastic performance. Click here for individual and team results.

Results from St. George's North American Qualifier St. George's High School hosted this year's North American Qualifier on October 14th, 2009. Congratulations to the teams of Sammy Rappaport and Sam Gurman from Lower Canada College and Sophie Bérubé and Sarah Battat from The Study, for going undefeated and taking 1st and 2nd place, respectively. The tournament's top speaker was Sammy Rappaport. The top five teams from this tournament will be representing Quebec at the North American Championships held in Winnipeg, Manitoba. The top two teams of that competition will compete at Oxford in the spring. Click here for individual and team results.