Toronto Debate Academy

05/06/2021

There's a big backlog of results I did not get to in March/April so this will be a multipost to catch up.

2021 OSDU Jr. Provincial Championships
Champions Julian Zhang and Jason Fu
2nd Place Team Grace Liang
6th Place Team Karen Zhang (former)
8th Place Team Errita Xu
Top Speaker Grace Liang
2nd Speaker Jason Fu
4th Speaker Julian Zhang
8th Speaker Jin Zhou
9th Speaker Karen Zhang (former)

2021 McGill Winter Bonanza
Finalists Sherry Shu and Emma Chi
Finalists Jack Zhu and Kevin Han
Semifinalist Ella Zhu
4th Speaker Ella Zhu
7th Speaker Jack Zhu
8th Speaker Kevin Han
9th Speaker Raymond Ha
2nd Novice Speaker Beckie Gu

https://bonanza2021.herokuapp.com/bonanza2021/motions/statistics/

2021 Southern
Finalists Jack Zhu and Kevin Han
Finalist Amy Jia (former)
Top Speaker Kevin Han
2nd Speaker Jack Zhu
3rd Speaker Amy Jia (former)
6th Speaker Vaanan Murugathas (former)

https://southern2021.herokuapp.com/southern2021/motions/statistics/

2021 UBC Spring
Champions Ella Zhu and Emma Chi
Finalist Edie Huo
Finalist Hao Ni
Semifinalists Jack Zhu and Kevin Han
Top Speaker Emma Chi
2nd Speaker Ella Zhu
3rd Speaker Hao Ni
6th Speaker Edie Huo

https://ubcspring21sr.calicotab.com/seniors/motions/statistics/

The tab for UBC Spring 21 - Seniors runs on Calico - Tabbycat, a source-available tab system for a variety of parliamentary debating formats

03/09/2021

The second big tournament last weekend was the Hart House Women and Gender Minorities tournament. This event is a personal favourite of mine and I was happy to see it continue this year after running previously at YorkU.

Champion Stellar Zhang (former)
Finalists Maria Xu and Isabelle Guo
Finalist Gaby Lin (former)
Semifinalist Jasma Zhou (former)
Top Speaker (tied) Stellar Zhang (former)
Top Speaker (tied) Isabelle Guo
3rd Speaker (tied) Maria Xu
5th Speaker (tied) Gaby Lin (former)
8th Speaker Jasma Zhou (former)

Motions:

The tab for HH WGM 2021 runs on Calico - Tabbycat, a source-available tab system for a variety of parliamentary debating formats

03/09/2021

There were two big tournaments last weekend. Shoutouts and congrats first to everyone who attended the Western Spring HST:
Finalists Jin Zhou and Claire Chen
Finalist Leo Zhang
Semifinalist Justin Zhou (former) and Edward Yang
Semifinalist Grace Liang
Quarterfinalist Fiona Shen (former)
Quarterfinalists Larissa Long and Randy Chang (both former)
Quarterfinalist David Zu
Quarterfinalists Molly Jin and Caroline Ding
4th Speaker Grace Liang
8th Speaker Rally Lin
9th Speaker Claire Chen
10th Speaker Ethan Li
Top Jr. Speaker Grace Liang
Motions:

The tab for Western Spring HST 2021 runs on Calico - Tabbycat, a source-available tab system for a variety of parliamentary debating formats

02/22/2021

The last tournament I attended in person was Hart House 2020 so it was bittersweet hitting the one year mark of online debates. While the increased accessibility has been great, it will be a lot of fun being able to attend in person again someday. But those thoughts aside, big congratulations to all our students who attended one of Canada's best annual high school competitions, in particular:

Champion Gaby Lin (former)
Finalists Justin Zhou and Randy Chang (both former)
Semfinalists Jack Zhu and Kevin Han
Semfinalist Heather Li (former)
Semfinalist Sarenna McKellar (former)
Semfinalist Andrew Shi
Jr. Champions Beckie Gu and Liana Jia
Top Speaker Gaby Lin (former)
8th Speaker Randy Chang (former)
10th Speaker Maria Xu
Top Jr. Speaker Jin Zhou

The tab for HH High Schools 2021 runs on Calico - Tabbycat, a source-available tab system for a variety of parliamentary debating formats

01/15/2021

It's officially a new year as the Queen's high school championship has once again kicked off the second semester debate season. Congratulations to all our students that managed to get spots, and in particular:

Champions Stellar Zhang and Michael Chen (both former)
Finalists Ethan Chiang and Isabelle Guo
Finalists Gaby Lin and Sarenna McKellar (both former)
Semifinalist Jin Zhou
Semifinalist Rally Lin
Jr. Champion Grace Liang
Top Speaker Stellar Zhang (former)
2nd Speaker Michael Chen (former)
3rd Speaker Sarenna McKellar (former)
4th Speaker Gaby Lin (former)
10th Speaker Jin Zhou
Top Jr. Speaker Jin Zhou
4th Jr. Speaker Grace Liang

Motions:

The tab for Queen's HS 2021 runs on Calico - Tabbycat, a source-available tab system for a variety of parliamentary debating formats

11/09/2020

Big shoutouts to everyone that competed at Western last weekend, in particular:

2020 Western High Schools Fall
Champions Randy Chang and Justin Zhou (both former)
Finalists Michael Chen and Stellar Zhang (both former)
Finalist Amy Zhu (former)
Finalist Gaby Lin (former)
Semifinalists Jin Zhou and Claire Chen
Semifinalists Tony Wu (former) and Hugo Hu
Semifinalists Sarenna McKellar (former) and Alyssa Li
Quarterfinalist Tanush Agarwal
Quarterfinalist Grace Liang
Quarterfinalist Ethan Chiang
Quarterfinalist Vaanan Murugathas
Quarterfinalist Caroline Ding
Jr. Champion Jason Fu
Jr. Finalists Edie Huo and Stephanie Cheng
Top Speaker Stellar Zhang (former)
2nd Speaker Michael Chen (former)
3rd Speaker Sarenna McKellar (former)
4th Speaker Tanush Agarwal
5th Speaker Grace Liang
6th Speaker Gaby Lin (former)
7th Speaker Alyssa Li
Top Jr. Speaker Grace Liang
3rd Jr. Speaker Jin Zhou

Tab:

The tab for Western Fall HST 2020 runs on Tabbycat, a source-available tab system for a variety of parliamentary debating formats

11/09/2020

Congratulations to everyone who attended the OSDU BP Championships and good luck at the CSDF BP National Championships later this month!

Senior Division
Champion Claire Chen
Finalists Andrew Shi
Finalists Randy Chang and Justin Zhou (both former)
2nd Speaker Randy Chang (former)
3rd Speaker Andrew Shi
4th Speaker Justin Zhou
6th Speaker Ed Yang
8th Speaker Claire Chen
8th Speaker Michael Chen
Tab: https://ontario-bp-champs-2020.herokuapp.com/osdubpchamps2020/

U15 Division
Champion Ethan Chiang
Finalist Grace Liang
Finalist Jin Zhou
2nd Speaker Jin Zhou
3rd Speaker Ethan Chiang
5th Speaker Grace Liang
Tab: https://ontario-bp-champs-2020.herokuapp.com/osdubpchampsu15/

The tab for runs on Tabbycat, a source-available tab system for a variety of parliamentary debating formats

10/31/2020

Fall is always a great time for debate and McGill is a tournament I know many of us look forward to through the summer (even if this year there were a lot more summer competitions to attend). McGill is the first of what some consider the university circuit triple crown and once again had a great pool of debaters, including many from other provinces who can't ordinarily attend in person. We're very proud of everyone who attended and would like to give special shoutouts to those that brought home some virtual hardware!

Teams
Champions Gaby Lin and Sarenna McKellar (both former)
Finalists Stellar Zhang and Michael Chen (both former)
Finalists Randy Chang and Justin Zhou (both former)
Finalist Maria Xu
Semifinalists Alyssa Li and Rally Lin
Quarterfinalist Grace Liang
Quarterfinalists Tanush Agarwal and Eliza Yip
Quarterfinalists Emma Chi and Sherry Shu
Jr. Champions Edie Huo and Stephanie Chang
Jr. Finalist Fiona Shen

Speakers
2nd Gaby Lin (former)
4th Randy Chang (former)
5th Sarenna McKellar (former)
7th Rally Lin
9th Justin Zhou (former)
10th Alyssa Li
Top Jr. Speaker Jin Zhou
2nd Jr. Speaker Grace Liang

Motions:

The tab for BPHS 2020 runs on Tabbycat, a source-available tab system for a variety of parliamentary debating formats

06/09/2020

This post is a week late but I'm going to blame that on the bitter sweet emotions that come with the end of the year. While on the same weekend, I got to watch a new generation of debaters make a name for themselves at the Jr. National Championships, the Canada Cup featured the swan song for one of my favourite teams. Serena and Gaby worked so hard over the years and gave so many fantastic speeches. It was wonderful to see them win their final high school tournament together. While you still have another year to deal with Gaby knocking you out of the bubble, Serena is moving on with one of the best groups of grade 12 debaters I can ever recall seeing. I wish her and all the other new grads the best in the future. Shout outs below:

2020 Canada Cup
Champions Gaby Lin and Serena Yuan
Finalist Hannah Zhao (former)
Semifinalists Elizabeth Zhu and Eric Tu (both former)
Jr. Finalist Jason Fu
Jr. Finalist Grace Liang
Jr. Finalists Cedric Liu and Raymond Ha
Jr. Semifinalist Alice Song
2nd Speaker Gaby Lin
4th Speaker Serena Yuan
5th Speaker Hannah Zhao (former)
6th Speaker Joy Liu
7th Speaker Elizabeth Zhu (former)
Top Jr. Speaker Kevin Han

Motions:

The tab for Canada Cup 2020 runs on Tabbycat, an open-source tab system for a variety of parliamentary debating formats

06/02/2020

We were all very fortunate that the CSDF and its supporters were able to organize a Jr. National Championships last weekend. Ontario sent one of the strongest contingents I have ever seen and they did our province proud with their results.

Champions Ethan Chiang and Ed Yang
Quarterfinalists Randy Chang and Justin Zhou
Quarterfinalists Rally Lin and Alyssa Li
Top Speaker Randy Chang
2nd Speaker Ethan Chiang
3rd Speaker Alyssa Li
5th Speaker Ed Yang
9th Speaker Justin Zhou
10th Speaker Rally Lin

Motions: https://can-nats.herokuapp.com/junior/motions/

05/17/2020

Big Congrats to everyone that is debating more than ever now that there's an online tournament every weekend! And shout outs for Ridge last week:

Champions Michael Chen and Rally Lin
Finalists Isabelle Guo and Ethan Chiang
Semifinalists Grace Liang
Top Speaker Michael Chen
2nd Speaker Rally Lin
3rd Speaker Ethan Chiang
4th Speaker Isabelle Guo
5th Speaker Angelina Zheng
6th Speaker Grace Liang
7th Speaker Ella Zhu
8th Speaker Simon Yu (former)
9th Speaker Tony Wu

The tab for Ridge 2020 runs on Tabbycat, an open-source tab system for a variety of parliamentary debating formats