Whiz Kids of the Week: Dunwoody Debate Team

Names: Robert Galerstein and Eilidh Geddes

Grade: Robert is a Junior. Eilidh is a Senior.

School: Dunwoody High School

Accomplishment: Robert and Eilidh were the first debate team from Dunwoody to qualify for the national Tournament of Champions for debate at the University of Kentucky, competing against roughly 70 other two-person teams who make up the debate elite.

Key to Awesomeness:

Robert and Eilidh have just returned from the Tournament of Champions competition, the highest caliber debate competition in the country, where they won three rounds and lost four.  Robert was excited for the tournament because of “the superior level of competition. We won’t have any easy rounds; we will have to work for our wins.”

During the regular debate season, the Dunwoody Debate Team of Robert Galerstein and Eilidh Geddes compete on the national circuit, participating in tournaments at various universities across the southeast, participating in policy debate. Students play the role of policymakers in determining the best policy for the government. This year’s policy debate topic focused on military forces in Afghanistan, Iraq, Kuwait, Japan, South Korea, and Turkey and whether the United States Federal Government should withdraw military troops.

Both enjoy the aspect of competing. "I enjoy debate because it's a form of intellectual competition that you don't find anywhere else," Robert said.

Eilidh shares similar sentiments, “I like debate because I enjoy getting the opportunity to compete against other students from around the country. Debate is challenging and fun."

Congratulations to Robert and Eilidh for representing Dunwoody so well!