It’s been a whirlwind month in Room 214 as the Mertz Middle Debate Team tackled our toughest resolution yet: "Resolved: The government should substantially increase its development of renewable energy." Here’s a look at how our debaters spent the last four weeks:

---

Phase 1: The Research Sprint

We kicked off the month by transforming the media center into a "war room." The team spent the first two weeks digging through energy sector reports and climate data. Our novices learned the hard way that "because it’s good for the earth" isn't a legal argument—you need the impacts to back it up. By mid-month, the team had filed over 150 unique evidence cards.

Phase 2: Sparring & Refinement

The third week was all about "The Grind." We held three after-school sparring sessions where our varsity pairs ran "speed drills" against the newcomers. The focus this month was on Cross-Examination (CX)—learning how to trap an opponent in their own logic without losing your cool.

Phase 3: The County Invitational

We capped off the month at the North County Invitational. Mertz brought 12 teams to the floor, and the results were stellar:

• Top Honors: Leo and Sam took 2nd place overall in Public Forum.
• Speaker Awards: Maya brought home a "Golden Gavel" for her 98% clarity rating during rebutatls.
• Team Growth: Six of our first-year debaters won their very first rounds!

---

What’s Next?

The ballots are in, the feedback has been read, and the blazers are at the dry cleaners. Next month, we pivot to a new topic regarding Cybersecurity Policy.