Earlier this year, Jiya Jolly (’27) was selected for the USA Debate Team, which represents the United States at international debate events in World Schools Debate. Twelve students from around the country were selected for the team, and only two were sophomores. This comes after Jiya was ranked the 7th speaker in World Schools Debate in the country at the National Speech and Debate Tournament last June in Des Moines, Iowa (where she competed on Team Louisiana) and was a quarterfinalist on Team Newman at the University of Kentucky Tournament of Champions last spring.

About two weeks later, Newman’s World Schools Debate Captain Amar Walia (’25) was selected for the USA Debate Development Team, which is designed to facilitate the development of debaters around the country for international competitions at the highest level in World Schools Debate. Amar has competed on Team Louisiana at the National Speech and Debate Tournament for the past two years and was also a quarterfinalist on Team Newman at the University of Kentucky Tournament of Champions last spring.

This is the first time in school history that a student has been selected for either Team USA or the Development Team, so please congratulate both students on this honor!