2023 University of Michigan Online Tournament

In this competition, two outstanding young debaters, Jadon Yao and Marcus Zhang, truly shone. Despite being in the 6th and 8th grades, they entered the arena of high school debate and went head-to-head with 10th-grade debaters. Not only did they handle the pressure remarkably well, but they also advanced all the way to the Quarterfinalist. Additionally, Jadon achieved the remarkable distinction of being ranked 5th as the Top Speaker!

VDA’s teaching philosophy, which places “skills” at its core, instilled the confidence in our students to excel on such a competitive stage. The remarkable achievements of Jadon and Marcus validate our teaching approach, emphasizing that a strong skill set is the foundation of debate success. We prepare our students for the challenges of any debate stage by cultivating critical thinking, strategic argumentation, and various essential skills, regardless of the age of our competitors.

Congratulations once again, and let’s keep up the excellent work!