Debate gained recognition with the advancement of two students to the National Debate competition in May, with another student to the state competition in April.

The Washington-Arlington Catholic Forensic League and the Virginia High School League host these competitions respectively.

The team attending Nationals is comprised of juniors Andrew Kropp-Sullivan and Reuben Levy-Myers. The boys moved up to the competition after placing fifth at the Metro Finals, also hosted by WACFL.

“I don’t really expect to win, since we don’t have as much experience as other big debate schools,” said Levy-Myers. “I think we might make the top 25 percent.”

Senior Manavi Bhagwat, who participated in regionals on March 17, was selected to move onto the VHSL state competition.

First year debaters and sophomores Anna Stormoen and Allyson Paiewonsky also participated in the regional competition and advanced to the elimination rounds of public forum.

“It was a challenge,” said Stormoen, “everyone there was older and had more experience than us.”

Other successes have outlined the club this year, such as the participation of multiple students at the district competition and seven students in the Metro Finals.

The club’s success are attributed in part to its size, as it has seen an influx of members who are qualified to participate in major debates.

“This year, we had 28 students compete,” said debate advisor Cheryl Finley. “In the past we’d only have ten.”

While only 28 students competed this year, 40 students were members. Some chose to participate in practice debates but not competitions.

Even if students do not compete, Finley said that they are all hard workers.

“They do well because they have the mentality,” said Finley. “If there is an opportunity to debate then they’ll go for it.”

Not only did a large number of students move on to the multiple competitions, but South Lakes also won second place at a debate sweepstakes. The event added all of the points that a school achieved as a group throughout the debating season and then awarded the highest accumulators.

“It’s nice to be recognized as a good team,” said Finley. “We were really surprised to hear our name called for the sweepstakes.”

Next year, Finley predicts that the group will do just as well if not better.

“I think we’ll do really well next year because we have such a huge returning group,” said Finley.

State competition will take place April 20-21, nationals will take place on May 26.