Colorado teenagers win national Winter Cup Debate Tournament

c/o Eloquence Academy

Eloquence Academy is pleased to announce the results of its inaugural Winter Cup. 

The tournament was open to any student, in any country, enrolled in an accredited primary school, secondary school, or debate club. On December 16, 2022 through December 17, 2022, the tournament welcomed over 40 impressive competitors from six states. With middle and high school divisions, students competed in teams of two on the timely topic of whether the United States’ strategy of Great Power Competition, considering the global geopolitical landscape.

Each partnership competed in up to eight debate rounds with eight speeches and three cross-examinations per round. Students utilized their previous research and vast knowledge of the topic to craft articulate, powerful ideas. Each and every speech reflected excellence in public speaking, rhetorical skills, critical thinking, and social awareness.

“We are incredibly proud of our participants and the thoughtful yet eager responses they brought to the tournament,” said Spencer Chaisanguanthum, Chief Executive Officer of Eloquence Academy. “We are equally grateful for our volunteers, implementation partners, and donors who helped bring this idea to life. By empowering students to research, understand, and advocate, we are developing the next generation of dynamic leaders and changemakers who can tackle society’s most complex problems head-on.”

Participants were judged by some of the foremost leaders in the field of public speaking and public policy on a range of criteria including creativity, the clarity and relevance of their message, ability to incorporate research, and delivery. We extend congratulations to Annika Aumentado, Kylie Berg, Caitlyn Grindel, and Atiya Hasan from Fairview High School in Boulder, Colorado for placing first, emerging out of a competitive pool. In addition to Aumentado, Berg, Grindel, and Hasan, we recognize the following students:

Semifinalists Aarna Nair and Louisa Yu (Valley Christian High School in San Jose, CA)
Semifinalists Rebecca Myers and Natania Street (Fairview High School in Boulder, CO)
Quarterfinalists Taiwen Feng and Yu Wang (SugarLand Spider Smart Debate Club in Missouri City, TX)
Quarterfinalists Jade Hayman and Jessica Wang (Fairview High School in Boulder, CO)
Quarterfinalists Andrew Johnson and Kieran Kelly (Carrollton High School in Carrollton, GA)
Quarterfinalists Veer Parmar and Samarth Singh (Potomac Debate Academy in Rockville, MD)
Top Speaker Caitlyn Grindel (Fairview High School in Boulder, CO)
2nd Speaker Louisa Yu (Valley Christian High School in San Jose, CA)
3rd Speaker Atiya Hasan (Fairview High School in Boulder, CO)

For more information about the tournament, or to inquire about the 2023 edition and future competition(s), please visit eloquenceacademy.org or contact finance@eloquenceacademy.org.

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Eloquence Academy, Inc. is a 501(c)(3) nonprofit organization and 509(a)(2) public charity dedicated to increasing equitable academic debate opportunities for rural and historically underserved students. The Academy offers debate classes, summer camps, workshops, tournaments, in-school programs, and online resources for 2,200+ students across 35 states and 15 countries. Ultimately, EA aims to prepare youth for college readiness, career engagement, and community impact through the transferable skills gained from debate.