East Debate Team Members Headed to Nationals after State Wins

The Brookfield East High Debate Team finished its 2011-12 year with five students winning championships at the Wisconsin State Debate Tournament.

And six team members are headed to the National Forensic League national tournament in Indianapolis in June.

At the state tournament in Whitewater Jan. 21-22, Spartan senior Advik Shreekumar repeated as State Champion in the Lincoln-Douglas category. According to the Wisconsin Debate Coaches Association that debate category "centers on a proposition of value, which concerns itself with what ought to be instead of what is."

Seniors Alyce Ge and Elaine Andersen were semi-finalists in the Lincoln-Douglas, and freshman Nithin Alexander and sophomore Mihir Trivedi made it to the quarter final round.

In the Public Forum category ("a team event that advocates or rejects a position posed by the monthly resolution topic"):

Teams of juniors Archit Baskaran and Jonas DeMuri-Sillunas and seniors Aditya Trivedi and Chih-Wei Wu won their semifinal rounds and were declared State Co-Champions. Seniors Aneesh Mathur and Zack Vrana were double octofinalists. Juniors Collin Steen and Mark Horvatin were octofinalists. 

At a subequent qualifier event for the National Forensic League national tournament, these students advanced:

• Public Forum: Aditya Trivedi and Chi-wei Wu; Archit Baskaran and Jonas DeMuri-Siliunas

• Lincoln Douglas: Advik Shreekumar; Elaine Andersen