From the Republican American, full story on-line: http://rep-am.com

FALLS VILLAGE — The Housatonic Valley Regional High School Debate Team hosted the monthly tournament of the Connecticut Debate Association on Saturday and while it didn’t come out on top, members kept up with the other participants.

Seven teams with approximately 125 students met throughout the day to debate the topic of “The U.S. should approve the Trans-Pacific Partnership treaty.”

The two-member teams go for three rounds: one in which they take the affirmative side, the other the negative side and the third time the side is determined by a flip of a coin.

The Connecticut association is an extemporaneous policy debate league for high schools. Judging is conducted by volunteers. The style used is parliamentary, which is based on a British model. The other is policy debate, which has a more philosophical bent. Housatonic’s team is in its third year and is advised by social studies teacher John Lizzi.

Team members are co-captains Jonathan Miller of Salisbury and Karl Grannan of Canaan, both seniors and the only ones from last year’s team. Others are Scott Dignacco, a junior from Sharon; Riley Simmons, a senior from Canaan; Jared Taylor, a sophomore from Kent; Spencer Krenitsky, a sophomore from Sharon; Cameryn Caruso, a junior from Cornwall and Abbey Hansell-Baumgarten, a junior from Sharon.

Lizzi said he was pleased with how the team fared. Miller and Taylor ended up winning their first two matches before losing a close round three, he said.

The final round, which is held in the auditorium before all attendees, was won by a Simsbury team over a team from Hartford Classical in a 2-1 decision by the judges.

(photo ctsy Rep-am.com)

Ruth Epstein Republican-American The Housatonic Valley Regional High School debate team members, from left, Abbey Hansell-Baumgarten, Cameryn Caruso, co-captain Jonathan Miller, co-captain Karl Grannan, Riley Simmons, Spencer Krenitsky, Scott Dignacco and Jared Taylor.