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SDA has been a speech and debate powerhouse: five students qualifying for the California State Tournament and two for the NFL National Tournament in 2011, a Tournament of Champions bid in Policy in 2010, a Lincoln Douglas Tournament of Champions bid in 2008, and both a first and second place finisher at the California State Tournament in Lincoln Douglas in 2007.

The 2011/12 season has been remarkable.  At the midway point in the year, the team has won 4 bids to the Tournament of Champions in both Policy and Speech, as well as many top finishes at several Tournaments.  (See the Results Page) 

Beyond these achievements, the debate team experience makes a deeper contribution to its members and to the talent pool at SDA.  Debate is one of the most intellectually rigorous and rewarding experiences that high school can offer. Generations of debaters have honed their intellectual and rhetorical skills and have gone on to successful careers of service and national and international prominence.  These skills will serve these students for the rest of their lives.

Speech and Debate fosters sound judgment, self-confidence, and the ability to make quick decisions under pressure.  Having to debate both sides of a question develops mental agility and the capacity to analyze the strengths and weaknesses of any position. Debating topics of national public policy demands thorough research, investigative acuity, and a deeper understanding of our world.