VCS Senior Lindsey Wins Debate Competition, Will Compete at Nationals
After besting 40 other registered competitors at the Western Division Great Communicator Debate Series on February 23 at Notre Dame High School, senior Tim Lindsey is now set to represent Village Christian at the national competition.
It’s an incredibly impressive achievement made even more so by the fact that VCS doesn’t currently have a High School debate team – yet.
“I knew I had to arm myself with enough information to have an argument tailored to each different person,” Lindsey said. “With the Reagan debate competition, they have you debate either side, and it’s randomly selected which side. Having to understand both sides – and research both sides – it really opens your mind.”
The national competition will be held in July at the Reagan Library and will feature the top two finishers from six qualifying divisions and two additional debate tournaments.
“I'm especially proud of Tim given that he was competing against students who have the resources and support of a full-time debate team, which we hope to develop at VCS over the next year,” said EGL Dean John Khouri, who presented Lindsey with the opportunity. “Tim deserves all the credit; he earned his victory with minimal coaching.”
According to the Reagan Foundation website, “The Ronald Reagan Great Communicator Debate Series was founded to develop engaged, informed, and conscientious citizen leaders by hosting a national series of high school debates. The debates search for students who can effectively use logic, evidence, and personality to communicate their ideas, just as Ronald Reagan did throughout his life.”
In the Western Division competition, Lindsey debated through four qualifying rounds and four elimination rounds en route to his first-place finish. He won every round at the Debate Series with unanimous 3-0 votes.
The event’s prompt was: "RESOLVED: Convicted felons who have completed their sentence should be allowed to vote in the United States."
The victory also garnered a $500 scholarship to a VCS debate program – something Lindsey is passionate about seeing established here on campus.
“It’s important for me to know how to express my view points,” Lindsey said. “My generation was born into a world of texting and technology, and we have become very secure. I think debate will help students gain skills before going into the workforce, and it will open their eyes to other viewpoints. Having a debate team would open doors.”