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Stella '24 finals in three categories and ranks 10th out of 108 students from 16 countries at the World Individual Debating and Public Speaking Championship (WIDPSC) in Durban, South Africa March 26 - April 2, 2023. 

The results are in, and Stella '24 was the highest-ranking member of Team USA at WIDPSC. Team USA comprised 16 students (5 students who identify as girls) from 8 schools: Buckingham Browne & Nichols School (BB&N), Hotchkiss School, Deerfield Academy, Groton School, Phillips Exeter Academy, Choate Rosemary Hall, and Winsor School. Stella spoke highly of her teammates sharing, "Every single member of Team USA worked so hard to be there, and I am inconceivably proud. Being able to compete with these 16 amazing students was an experience that I will cherish for the rest of my life. I sincerely hope the friendships that we fostered will continue to thrive long after we return to the States." 

Stella advanced to the finals in three categories: Impromptu Speaking, After-Dinner Speaking, and Interpretive Reading, and was one of only a few students in the entire competition to go to the finals in three or more categories. Stella shares, "Doing well at this tournament is not only incredibly humbling because of the status of the competition, but also because of the expert quality of the speakers who competed. I met incredible students who genuinely deserve the world, and will definitely change it." 

Stella continues, "What many people don’t know or understand about debate and public speaking is that it is actually a fun pastime as well as a highly competitive sport— it’s a happy medium. In my opinion, debaters and public speakers are elite athletes. Students grow their skills not only in public speaking but also in communication and confidence in general, all the while meeting incredible, smart students from across the United States and around the world [at various regional and international competitions during the season]. I have grown so much as a person since joining the SBS Debate & Public Speaking Society, and I am excited to see where these skills take me as I move forward into college, university, and beyond."  

The WIDPSC is an annual international English language debating and public speaking competition for high school students from around the world. WIDPSC represents a diverse range of countries, and this year's countries represented included Australia, Canada, China, eSwatini, Hong Kong, Lithuania, Morocco, Philippines, Singapore, South Africa, South Korea, Thailand, United Kingdom, Zimbabwe & USA.

Debate & Public Speaking has a long history as SBS, with students qualifying for and attending WIDPSC since the 1980s. Recent competitions were held virtually due to the pandemic, and WIDPSC 2023 in Durban, South Africa was the return to in-person competition. Next year's competition, WIDPSC 2024, will be held in Canberra, Australia. Stella and her fellow Debate & Public Speaking Society teammates have the opportunity to qualify throughout the upcoming fall and winter in order to compete at WIDPSC in the spring. Best of luck to Stella and the entire SBS Debate & Public Speaking Society during the 2023-2024 academic year!