Newburgh Debate Team Travels to Yale to Compete

The Newburgh Debate Team traveled to Yale for a competition the first weekend after school began. There were 209 teams in the Public Forum field. These teams came from all over the country including California, Arizona, Florida, Texas. Additionally, schools that ranked in the top 14th at Nationals were also there participating. 

Members of the Newburgh Debate Team who competed at Yale included: Keyondrah Murphy 11th grade, Nisheria Weaver 11th grade, Matthew Karwan 11th grade, George Eliadis 11th grade. The team is advised by Ms. Jonelle Formato-Santo, teacher at Newburgh Free Academy’s Main Campus.

Ms. Aphrodite Eliadis was our volunteer judge. Ms. Eliadis is the mother of debate team member, George Eliadis.

The topic both sides were charged to debate was a difficult one: The United States should accede to the United Nations Convention on the Law of the Sea without reservations.

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