THOMASVILLE - Brookwood School debate teams took two of the top four prizes plus a Brookwood debater won a top speaker award in a two-day statewide competition.
In the final round on Jan. 16 at Mercer University in Macon in the Georgia Independent School Association AAA State Debate Tournament, the team of Cairo students Danny Steinberg and Jackson Brannon, both in the 11th grade, lost a close debate to the Stratford Academy team that Brookwood had previously defeated in the preliminary rounds. Brookwood's Steinberg-Brannon team was named first runner-up in the state, with Stratford Academy of Macon in first place.
In the semifinal round, the team of Thomasville juniors Will McGregor and Katherine Wolff lost to the eventual state champion Stratford team. Brookwood's McGregor-Wolff team took third place overall in the state. George Walton Academy of Monroe, Ga., was in fourth place as a semifinalist.
One of the top five speaker awards in Georgia went to Brannon.
This year's debate topic is "The United States Federal Government should substantially increase social services for persons living in poverty in the United States." Debaters must be able to argue for either side of the issue. The Steinberg-Brannon team debated on the negative side in the final round.
"This marked the first time in Brookwood Debate history where we won two rounds from the nationally ranked Stratford Academy teams and knocked one of the Stratford teams from the tournament altogether," said Phil Danner, Brookwood's debate coach. "Our debaters are to be commended on their very strong showing."
Both Brookwood teams advanced to the semifinal rounds with a combined record of 7 wins and 1 loss. In the process they also eliminated teams from Westminster Academy, Mount de Sales Academy, and George Walton Academy.
"I was very proud of our students who handled themselves with skill, distinction and grace," Danner said.
Brookwood debate teams have consistently ranked among the top four schools in their competitive division of the GISA. Last year, Brookwood jumped from Division AA to Division AAA and still managed to land in the top-ranked debate teams in statewide competition.
Other Brookwood debate students who attended the state finals were Sarah Chason, Madeline MacQuirter and Cory Sigler.
Seated at left is Katherine Wolff, holding the semifinalist trophy, and clockwise, Will McGregor, Debate Coach Phil Danner, Jackson Brannon and Danny Steinberg, holding the runner-up trophy for GISA AAA Debate.
