Hopkins Debate Team Excels at NYPDL Tournament

On Saturday, January 24, the Hopkins Debate Team participated in the New York Parliamentary Debate League (NYPDL) tournament in New York City, where sisters Catherine P. ’30 and Marguerite P. ’28 won the novice division.

Out of 18 schools across three states and 150 debaters, Alyson H. ’26, Marguerite, and Catherine all placed in the top 25. According to math teacher and debate coach Joshua Zelinsky, no other Hopkins student placed as high, though the entire team delivered a strong overall performance.

“I’m very proud of the students. I’m looking forward to seeing how we perform in other tournaments this year,” Zelinsky said. He credited student leadership for fostering a spirit of camaraderie on the team.

“Our team captain, Chloe W. ’26, has done a great job this year helping with logistics, getting many students involved, and organizing high-quality practices that have helped the team excel,” Zelinsky added.

Marguerite came away from the experience feeling thankful for the Hopkins Debate Team, especially Chloe W. ’26 and Zelinsky, whom she refers to as “Dr. Z,” for making it possible to compete. “It was such a fun experience, and we’re truly grateful for all the time and effort they put into making this happen,” she said.

Catherine echoed her older sister’s sentiments, saying, “I am super grateful that I got to participate in this tournament. All of the debaters were very good, and we learned a lot from them.”

Each year, the Hopkins Debate Team consists of 20 to 25 students who regularly compete in tournaments. The team typically attends four to six events annually. Looking ahead, Hopkins has two more tournaments planned—one on its home turf and one at Deerfield.