Debate I students are currently working on their policy debate, a fast-paced, evidence-based competition where teams advocate for or against a specific change in federal government policy.

“Policy debate is a two-on-two competition in which debaters try to change the status quo, and it deals with some sort of federal government change,” debate teacher Michelle Porter said. “They’re going to be competing with each other, two on two, and they have various resolutions. They will use all of the debate skills required for policy debate, they will be cross-examining each other, presenting rebuttals, and developing cases and counterplans. It’s a lot. It’s typically an hour and 45 minutes.”

For students, it’s a step up in the level of debate. Freshman Anirudh Tare says the format is more complex and longer than what they’ve done before.

“Compared to other debates we have done, it’s quite complicated and long,” Tare said. “I just watched a few debates and they took about an hour to an hour and a half. It has a lot of back and forth, which leads to a more interesting argument. My partner and I have prepared well—we’ve thought of a lot of things, and since it is a pretty complex debate, I think we will do well.”