San Carlos takes pride in having some of the top schools in California, a distinction made possible by bringing together the best teachers and students. In this regard, we’d like to congratulate the Tierra Linda Debate Team, who recently championed the World Schools debate held in Des Moines, Iowa. The competition was participated by schools from 37 different states, including some schools from China and Canada. Led by Coach Marty De, the team of middle school students Calvin Massey, Talia Simon, Neilson Chien, and Alina Robinson competed in their first-ever national tournament, taking on both prepared and impromptu debate topics. This success is the first for both the middle school program and Coach De.
The Competition
“China won World Schools in 2023 and 2022, so this is the first time in a while that an American team won the event,” Coach De said. In the first five Preliminary Rounds of the competition, the Tierra Linda team secured a flawless 5-0 record, winning all five matches. In the Semifinal Round, there were four teams: two from California (incl. Tierra Linda) and two from China. Tierra Linda debated the China Tigers and won on a 3-0 decision, wherein all 3 judges voted for them.
“I feel like our best round was the Final Round, in which they debated the Telemedicine topic,” according to Coach De. The Final Round was held in June 21 at the Iowa Events Center, where Tierra Linda defeated the China Dragons on a 4-1 decision. Being on the affirmative side, they argued that telemedicine (1) increases accessibility to healthcare, (2) would solve the doctor shortage, and that (3) teletherapy can address mental health problems.
In the Preliminary Rounds of World Schools, each debater receives speaker points from the judges. Tierra Linda’s Team Captain, Alina Robinson, earned the highest cumulative score among all debaters, amassing 388.75 out of a possible 400 points, which secured her the Top Speaker Award in the World Schools Division. Robinson, in particular, showed remarkable growth after initially struggling in competitions. She credits her transformation to hard work and perseverance, exemplifying the life lessons De emphasizes—”stick with it, and the results will follow”.
Tierra Linda Debate Team Training
Coach De shares part of their training routine: “I have them do lots of speaking drills, lots of reading and research, and also watching videos of other debaters who competed at Nationals.” All this, together with his Assistant Coach, Gianna Colby. Prior to World Schools debate, the students have already done many different tournaments, including Stanford, Berkeley, and the California Middle School State Tournament, in which Alina and Talia won the state championship in Parliamentary Debate. “Whenever they go to a tournament, their eyes light up and I just love seeing that energy out of them,” said De.
De highlights the students’ curiosity and love for learning as key factors in their success. He sees this victory as a source of inspiration for future students, encouraging them to pursue their potential without comparison but with belief in what’s possible. “The good thing is that now they’re going to serve as inspiration for every class I have after this,” De said. “Our class of 2025 is really, really talented and I want them to look at this experience, and not necessarily compare themselves to it, but think that this is what’s possible.”
About Coach Marty De
Coach Marty De is an experienced educator at Tierra Linda, teaching Math, Computer Science, and Debate for 12 years. He coaches the speech and debate team, as well as the math and robotics clubs. With a BA from UC Berkeley and a Master’s in Education from Pepperdine, Marty De is also a two-Diamond coach in the National Speech and Debate Association. Additionally, he teaches at Capitol Debate Summer Camps, and has taught in leading programs at institutions like UCLA, UC Berkeley, and Babson College.
Supplemental Stage Final Rounds and Middle School Awards Assembly – Nationals 2024 Livestream from National Speech & Debate Assn. on Vimeo. Tierra Linda Team is found at 10:07
Resources
- Email Interview with Coach Marty De
- “No debate — these Tierra Linda Middle School students win big” By Ana Mata, the Daily Journal, Aug 14, 2024
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