Upper School Debate teams saw success at the 2025 Texas Forensic Association State Tournament. From March 6-8, the team’s qualifying Policy, World Schools, and Lincoln Douglas debaters fought hard, bringing home numerous wins.
Policy Debate teams performed well, as junior Rory Liu and senior Gautam Chamarthy championed the division. Following their lead, other Policy teams finished in the quarterfinals.
In Lincoln-Douglas, junior Sarah Koshy placed second, followed by junior Dylan Millimet in third. While Lincoln-Douglas is an individual competition, Koshy says she credits much of her success to her fellow Greenhill debaters.
“It’s really a team effort to get everyone together,” Koshy said. “I got to finals, but kids who were out helped me along the way, and I would not have been able to do that without them.”
Koshy says the support from teammates helped her prepare for any level of competition. Especially at TFA, a tournament frequently compared to the national level, debaters learn to be ready for all opposing teams, according to Koshy.
The qualification process, furthermore, gives way to have any type of debater competing at the state level. This year, the association required a total of 12 points to qualify; teams were allocated points at local tournaments based on their performance.
“You get random people who just happen to qualify,” sophomore Paylin Barnes said. “Some of the best kids in the country live in Texas.”
In addition to Lincoln-Douglas debaters, Greenhill found success in World Schools Debate. The Platinum team, consisting of juniors Benjy Beckman, Josephina Qiu, Vijay Naidu, sophomore Carys Diamond, and freshman Marleigh Massoud reached the semi-finals.
“It was our first time at a really big tournament together, and that was definitely nerve wracking,” Diamond said. “But it was good because we all worked together a lot more than in the past.”
Barnes says support from so many fellow debaters helped all teams as it empowered students to work hard.
“Being a part of this team gives me an opportunity to learn from all the amazing debaters,” Barnes said. “Especially at a tournament like this, seeing their talents and skills is so inspiring.”
Having 45 qualifying Greenhill students highlights the dedication these teams have towards the program, according to Barnes, especially as so many finished strong in the tournament. Additionally, the team received sixth place in overall Sweepstakes, competing against 181 other schools.
Koshy says the strong performances from Greenhill students this year further solidifies the school’s positive reputation in debate.
“We have a really good debate program, and that’s a known thing in Texas,” Koshy said. “So, when we pull up in our huge bus, it feels really good to be a part of that community and know we have such a strong legacy, especially in TFA.”
