Four Harris County high school CASE Debates teams competed in the National Speech and Debate Tournament in Louisville, Kentucky, from June 12 to 17. The annual event boasts participation from more than 1,500 schools and 6,000 competitors.  

Alief Independent School District’s Elsik and Kerr high schools’ teams qualified for nationals when they took first and second at the 2022 Houston Urban Debate League (HUDL) City Championship Tournament in March. Spring Branch Independent School District’s Spring Woods High School’s and Westchester Academy for International Studies’ (WAIS) teams also attended. 

In the World Schools Debate event, which welcomed over 700 competitors who are individually ranked for speaker awards, Elsik student Diego Castillo placed sixth and Kerr student Carlos Estimbo Jr. placed fifth. Kerr’s and WAIS’ teams advanced to elimination rounds, and Elsik’s team advance to octo-finals, placing 15th in the nation. 

In Congressional Debate, a new event for CASE Debates, Spring Woods student Jesus Silva took 19th and Elsik student Ajibola Yerokun placed 13th.  

CASE Debates, a program for inner-city youth funded by HCDE, is a collaboration between CASE for Kids and HUDL.