Westminster Senior High School - Debate Program

Debate Program

The High School's Speech and Debate Team was founded in September 2006. The Speech and Debate program at WHS offers students with the ability to engage in competitive speech and debate tournaments held at the local, state, and national levels. Students attend weekly meetings and are constantly immersed in a rigorous cycle of research and preparation for the Speech/Debate events in which they are participating and competing in.

In 2007, WHS hosted the Baltimore Catholic Forensics League tournament for the first time in school history. The Owls finished in first place at BCFL Finals in Debate Sweepstakes, and qualified for National Catholic Forensics League Nationals held in Dallas, Texas, and finished nationally as octofinalists in Public Forum Debate. In 2008, the team qualified for NCFL Nationals in Appleton, Wisconsin. There, they finished nationally as double octofinalists in Public Forum Debate.

The team qualified for NCFL Nationals in Albany, New York, where students finished nationally as double octofinalists in Public Forum Debate.

In 2010, team members qualified for NCFL Grand National Tournament held at Creighton University in Omaha, Nebraska, in Lincoln Douglas Debate, and Public Forum Debate. There a student finished nationally as a quarterfinalist.

In 2011, WHS finished in first place in Debate Sweepstakes at BCFL finals. Team members qualified for NCFL Nationals in Washington DC., and several finished nationally as octofinalists (top 16).