Debate Team Earns 1–1 Finish at WISDAA Meet, Sets School Record for State Qualifiers

DELAFIELD, Wis. – The St. John’s Northwestern Debate Team battled to a hard-fought 1–1 finish at the Wisconsin Interscholastic Speech & Dramatic Arts Association (WISDAA) meet on February 2, showcasing resilience, preparation, and competitive excellence.

The Lancers opened the evening with a strong victory in the Impromptu Round, debating the topic of service learning in schools. Senior Carl Swanson led the way with an impressive 77 points, while Grant Yacoub posted 76 points and Bryce Girard contributed 74 points, securing the round win.

In the Prepared Round, the Lancers narrowly fell in a closely contested match on the topic of federal SNAP benefits, marking their first loss of the season in a prepared debate. Despite the result, the team delivered standout performances, including Grace Mariscal Hernandez with 77 points and Swanson with 75 points.

With the split result, the Debate Team now holds a strong 7–3 record heading into the final meet of the regular season. The Lancers will return to WISDAA competition on March 9.

The meet also marked a historic milestone for the program. Grant Yacoub secured state qualification with his performance, bringing the total number of SJN state qualifiers to six, the most in school history. The team will compete at the WISDAA State Competition in Madison this April.

About SJN

St. John’s Northwestern is a safe, structured environment that provides each student a foundation for life with specialized programs built with future aspirations in mind. St. John’s Northwestern is a private coeducational college preparatory boarding and day school and is accepting applications for grades 7 through 12 and post-graduate. Learn more at stjohnsnorthwestern.org.