Grayslake North hosted a huge debate tournament on December 18th, with about 300 students and 20 teams in attendance. Grayslake North’s Debate Team did not place overall, but the team did receive individual awards. 

“I want to see improvement in speaking skills and that will lead to score improvements. I’ve never required the team to score at a certain level. I just want to see them keep speaking, getting feedback from judges, and working on their skills,” said head coach Dustin Zubert. 

Noah Blake was awarded Best Presiding Officer and placed second in his junior varsity chamber. Siena Pietraszak placed third in her junior varsity chamber.

“The highlight of the Debate Team, for me, is the people I get to work with. The coaches are incredibly helpful. They help us improve our overall performance, our skills as debaters or arguers, and our cohesiveness as a team. The team members themselves are all very diligent in their research, and the whole team creates a cycle of helping each other improve our arguments, speeches, and research points,” said debate member Noah Blake. 

The Debate Team meets every Wednesday in the hub to prepare for their tournaments. They spend their time doing research on different bills and creating their speeches. 

“Debate is great, and we are always looking for new members, so join if it sounds interesting. It gets you more comfortable with public speaking, and it helps you learn to research, which is a skill that definitely can be used in many classes,” said debate member Siena Pietraszak. 

If interested in joining the Debate Team, contact Dustin Zubert or Stephanie Liverant for more information.