Spring 2021 ModernBrain Awards! (Congress/Debate)

Spring 2021 ModernBrain Awards!(Congress/Debate)

• When people think of Speech and Debate, many imagine Denzel Washington in The Great Debaters: serious people stand at podiums, speak slowly, and use the art of rhetoric to strike blows for their side. In actuality, Debate events are far more versatile. Lincoln-Douglas challenges students to argue both sides of a philosophical question. Public Forum and Policy ask them to partner up and argue if a heavily researched  resolution is true or not. Parliamentary Debate asks them to work in teams, only giving them 20 minutes to research questions of value, policy, and fact before they launch into an extemporaneous debate.  Student Congress asks them to embody representatives and senators as they argue whether or not bills and resolutions should be passed into law.
• During Spring of 2021, our ModernBrain students have done exceptionally well across all formats of debate.
• Ethics Bowl:
• Grace (from University High) took FIRST PLACE at both her regional tournament and the 2021 NATIONAL CHAMPIONSHIP TOURNAMENT! 
• Ronald Reagan Great Communicators Debate:
• Casey was the Western Regional CHAMPION; Eugene was the RUNNER-UP (both advance to the National Championship in July). 
• Anmol and Avery both made double-octafinals at the Online Qualifier.
• Student Congress:
• Lincoln was the varsity CHAMPION at the CSUF Bruschke tournament, FIRST PLACE in his chamber at the Southern States Championship, the middle school RUNNER-UP at the Stanford tournament, and made semifinals at the MS TOURNAMENT OF CHAMPIONS.
• Dylan was the novice RUNNER-UP at the Stanford tournament (one of the biggest tournaments in the country), RUNNER-UP in his chamber at the Southern States Championship, a finalist at the CSUF Bruschke tournament, and made finals at the MS TOURNAMENT OF CHAMPIONS.
• Anish was the middle school CHAMPION at the CSUF Bruschke tournament, and a middle school FINALIST at the Stanford tournament.
• Celine was FIRST PLACE in her chamber at the Southern States Championship, made semifinals at the MS TOURNAMENT OF CHAMPIONS, and was a SCJFL State finalist.
• Shirley was a SCJFL State finalist.
• Jerry was a SCJFL State finalist.
• Mira was a novice FINALIST at the Stanford tournament.
• Dylan R. was 3rd Place in his chamber at the Southern States Championship.
• Lincoln-Douglas Debate:
• Casey was the CHAMPION at the Harlingen Swing, the TCFL CHAMPION, the West Los Angeles district CHAMPION, and 9th Speaker at Marlborough.
• Joseph was the Marlborough CHAMPION, the RUNNER-UP and 6th Speaker at the Philhistorian tournament, 3rd Speaker at Marlborough, 7th Speaker at ELAC, a novice quarterfinalist at the Western Novice/JV National Championship, awarded at the Southern States Championship, and made the top sixteen at the MS TOURNAMENT OF CHAMPIONS.
• Cailyn was a novice double-octafinalist and 10th Speaker at the Western Novice/JV National Championship, quarterfinals and 9th Speaker at the Philhistorian tournament, made the top 40 at the MS TOURNAMENT OF CHAMPIONS, and was an SCJFL State semifinalist.
• Simran was 2nd Speaker at ELAC, awarded at the Southern States Championship, and made the top 40 at the MS TOURNAMENT OF CHAMPIONS.
• Amanda was 6th Speaker at Marlborough, a novice octafinalist at the Western Novice/JV National Championship, awarded (and was 5th Speaker) at the Southern States Championship, and made the top eight at the MS TOURNAMENT OF CHAMPIONS.
• Zoe was 8th Place at Marlborough, 10th Speaker at ELAC, quarterfinals and 3rd Speaker at the Philhistorian tournament, awarded at the Southern States Championship, and made the top 32 at the MS TOURNAMENT OF CHAMPIONS.
• Chenyue was a JV triple-octafinalist at Berkeley, 3rd Speaker and 4th Place at Marlborough, quarterfinals and 7th Speaker at the Philhistorian tournament, and made the top sixteen at the MS TOURNAMENT OF CHAMPIONS.
• Zhian was 6th Place and 7th Speaker at Marlborough, 4th Place and 2nd Speaker at the Philhistorian tournament, and made the top sixteen at the MS TOURNAMENT OF CHAMPIONS.
• Annabelle was the JV RUNNER-UP and 3rd Speaker at the Western Novice/JV National Championship! 
• Lilly was the TOP SPEAKER at ELAC and made the top 32 at the MS TOURNAMENT OF CHAMPIONS.
• Annie was the Marlborough RUNNER-UP.
• Elizabeth was 3rd Speaker at ELAC.
• Justin was 5th Speaker at ELAC as well as an octafinalist and 4th Speaker at the Philhistorian tournament.
• Joy was 8th Speaker at ELAC and made the top 32 at the MS TOURNAMENT OF CHAMPIONS.
• Ulysses was an octafinalist at the Philhistorian tournament.
• Adam  was an octafinalist at the Philhistorian tournament.
• Isabella was 12th Place at Marlborough.
• Audrey was 9th Speaker at ELAC.
• Alexis was a JV double-octafinalist at Berkeley.
• Jocelyn was a JV double-octafinalist at Berkeley.
• Eric was 4th Speaker at Marlborough.
• Abigail was 11th Speaker at Marlborough .
• Johnny was a quarterfinalist at the Philhistorian tournament and awarded at the Southern States Championship.
• Ellie awarded at the Southern States Championship.
• Angelynne made the top 40 at the MS TOURNAMENT OF CHAMPIONS.
• Policy Debate: 
• Matthew and Avery were top four at the California High School State Championship (the best team from Southern California!), made the top eight at the Peninsula Tournament, made the top sixteen at the NDCA Championship, were triple-octafinalists at Berkeley, and made the run-off round at the TOURNAMENT OF CHAMPIONS.
• Russell and Michael were the SCJFL STATE CHAMPIONS.
• Li and Lu were CHAMPIONS at Marlborough. 3rd Place at the Philhistorian tournament, went UNDEFEATED at the Southern States Championship, and made the top 16 at the MS TOURNAMENT OF CHAMPIONS.
• Huang and Kang were RUNNERS-UP at Marlborough. 4th Place at the Philhistorian tournament, awarded at the Southern States Championship, and made the top 16 at the MS TOURNAMENT OF CHAMPIONS.
• Lin and Nam were third place at Marlborough, RUNNERS-UP at the Philhistorian tournament, went UNDEFEATED at the Southern States Championship, and made the top 16 at the MS TOURNAMENT OF CHAMPIONS.
• Stobo and Yan were fourth place at Marlborough and 9th Place at the Philhistorian tournament.
• Liu and Roh awarded at the Southern States Championship.
• Shone and Yan went UNDEFEATED at the Southern States Championship. 
• Shone and Zheng were 10th Place at the Philhistorian tournament, 
• Brandon was Top Speaker at ELAC, 9th Speaker at the Philhistorian tournament and 5th Speaker at the Southern States Championship.
• Andrew was 2nd Speaker at ELAC and 4th Speaker at Marlborough.
• Zoe was 5th Speaker at ELAC.
• Kayla was 6th Speaker at ELAC.
• Richard was 10th Speaker at ELAC and 8th Speaker at the Philhistorian tournament.
• Alexis was Top Speaker at Marlborough,  6th Speaker at the Philhistorian tournament, and 4th Speaker at the Southern States Championship.
• Mike was 2nd Speaker at Marlborough.
• Audrey was 3rd Speaker at Marlborough.
• Jinu was 4th Speaker at Marlborough and Top Speaker at the Southern States Championship.
• Audrey was 5th Speaker at the Philhistorian tournament.
• Big Questions Debate:
• Jason was the SCJFL STATE CHAMPION and top speaker.
• Luna was the SCJFL State runner-up. 
• Public Forum Debate:
• Jason and Nirmit took 5th Place at Marlborough; Jason was Marlborough’s 3rd Speaker.
• Yan and Hu awarded at the Southern States Championship, 
• Shah and Kim awarded at the Southern States Championship, 
• Grace was Marlborough’s 5th Speaker. 
• Parliamentary Debate:
• Leo and Yang made top 32 at the Stanford tournament!
• Model United Nations:
• Gabriel received the Best Delegate Award - the Highest Honor he could receive out of a committee of almost 100 contestants -  at a competition with nearly 2000 delegates.
• Katherine won the Best Position Paper Award in her UNEP subcommittee at the Rising Leaders MUN conference.
• Ruhi won the Best Position Paper Award in her WHO subcommittee at the Rising Leaders MUN conference.
• There is so much for these debaters to be proud of! Congratulations to all of them--win or lose, it’s how you play the game, and these debaters perform with integrity and fidelity.