Forensics Team Wins First Place at Tournament

Written by Jason McGrath, Forensics Sponsor

On January 30 and 31, the YISS Forensics Speech and Debate Team competed in the KAIAC Forensics Speech and Debate Tournament hosted by Chadwick International. At this third tournament of the season, YISS earned first place overall, marking an outstanding team achievement.

High school forensics provides students with valuable opportunities to develop public speaking, critical thinking, and research skills. Through speech and debate, students learn to communicate ideas clearly and confidently, analyze complex topics, collaborate with teammates, and think on their feet–skills that support success and prepare students for future leadership and civic engagement.

Several students earned top honors across multiple events. In Poetry, Catherine P. (11) placed third. In Original Oratory, Elaine A. (11) earned first place. In Extemporaneous Speaking, Aiden Y. (10) placed first, followed by Ryan C. (10) in second place.

Debate competitors also delivered strong performances. In Public Forum Debate, Jonathan M. (12) and Olivia Suh (10) placed first, while Brooke L. (12) and Claire A. L. (12) advanced as finalists. In Lincoln-Douglas Debate, Ryan C. (10) placed second and Lucas M. (11) earned third place.

The YISS Forensics team is proud of its students’ hard work and looks forward to competing in the next KAIAC tournament at Korea International School in March.