Wasatch Academy Holds World Championship Qualifier

Wasatch Academy made history in 2004 as the first American school to hold the World Debating and Public Speaking Championships. Following this historic event, Wasatch Academy continues to foster the very best in competitive Speech and Debate by hosting an annual World Championship Qualifier for outstanding student debaters from the leading independent schools in the Western United States. Each year, the top two students from the Wasatch Academy World Championship Qualifier join the American national team to compete at the highest levels on the international circuit.

In the past year, the Wasatch tournament qualified two truly remarkable students for the U.S. national team, one from the Thacher School in Ojai, California and the other from the United World College in Montezuma, New Mexico; Zahid Sunderani from the United World College then proceeded to finish as the top student overall (the World Champion!) at the 2005 World Championships held at the English School in Cyprus.

This year Wasatch Academy is again inviting outspoken young leaders from around the Western States to compete for the chance to represent the U.S.A. at the World Championship level. Befitting the global nature of this event, the Wasatch team is composed both of American (Emily Anderer, Derek Jacobsen and Matt Bacon) and International students (Seung Han Jang, John Weng and Tana Jambaldorj) all of whom have prepared diligently for this once-in-a-lifetime opportunity. The event is scheduled to run from February 17-19 and is sure to bring many gifted competitors and distinguished visitors (along with much intellectual excitement) to the Wasatch campus.