Andy Yu

  • Date 2020-12-20

I enjoy debate because it provides me a voice to express my views and opinions, I’m able to think freely while seeing the opposing side’s claims. This allows me to view an issue in a holistic way where I can see both sides of a topic. Through debate, I also learn a lot about different topics and issues that exist. Without debate, I wouldn’t have a deep understanding of things like Pharma Companies or Cocoa Monopolies.

Debate has made a large difference in my life because it provided me a pathway into something new that I wasn’t interested in before. Before I started debate, I didn’t really have any large hobbies that I wanted to base my career on until I discovered debate. I was really interested in politics, economics, and other important things, debate was able to offer classes and arguments for or against these topics.

Besides going to tournaments with VDA, I also participate in tournaments independently, in the past two years, I have been to:

  • 2021 Saskatchewan World School Debate Tournament, where I finished as the Silver Champion;
  • 2021 Queen’s University High School Debate Tournament, where I finished as the Senior Finalist;
  • 2021 McMaster University Debate Tournament, where I finished as the Junior Champion;
  • 2021 EDC Tournament, where I finished as the 4th Place Team in the Open Division and received the 4th Best Speaker Award;
  • 2021 Harvard World Tournament, where I finished as 34th Place team, and 19th Best Speaker out of nearly 800 debaters from all over the world;
  • 2020 University of British Columbia Fall Debate Tournament, where I finished as the Novice Champion;
  • 2020 Dora Foundation Vancouver Elementary Debate Tournament, where I finished as the 3rd Place team and 7th Best Speaker;
  • 2019 Optimist Oratory Speech Competition, where I finished as the Top Second Speaker.