On March 9, Red Hook students competed in the Bard Debate Union’s (pictured above) first annual Debate Tournament, featuring 2 rounds of debate competition, luncheon, and an awards ceremony. Linden Avenue Middle School sent 5 teams, which competed against each other, and Red Hook high school sent 2 teams, which competed against 2 teams from Rhinebeck, and 4 teams fielded from the Bard High School Early College (BHSEC) schools in Queens, Manhattan, and Newark, NJ. The RHEF was a sponsor of this event, hosted by the Bard Center for Civic Engagement.

Team and individual awards were given to the following participants: in the high school division BHSEC A took 1st place, with Rhinebeck A in 2nd place, Red Hook A in 3rd place, and BHSEC B in 4th place. Individual high school debate awards: Hannah Frishberg (BHSEC A) 1^st; Callie Goldstone (Rhinebeck A) 2^nd; Joe Bryant (Red Hook A) 3^rd; Gabe Haddad (BHSEC D) 4^th  and “Mo” Tyler (BHSEC C) in 5^th place. Individual middle school debate awards: Caleb Wootan, 1^st; Elenore Zellneck, 2^nd; Joseph Becker, 3^rd; Abby Foster, 4^th, and Aidan Murtha in 5^th place.

Working in partnership with Bard Debate Union and the Bard Trustee Leader Scholar program, the RHEF has helped to start up the LAMS and Red Hook High School debate clubs over the last year. Many thanks to Red Hook faculty Ronald Dombrowski, Tom O’Connor, and James Armstrong, Bard Debate coaches Ruth Zisman and Jennifer Rankin, and especially to the Bard Debate Union students, for supporting the growth of debate in our community and beyond.