Awards Edition: Matthew Harris Ornstein Summer Debate Institute

Award Winners: 9th Annual Matthew Harris Ornstein Summer Debate Institute

While the primary goal of summer camp is teaching and inspiring young people, we do want to celebrate the hard work of those who won awards this summer!

Matthew Harris Ornstein Outstanding Debater Award: Joey Villaflor

Joey holds almost all of WUDL’s participation records, and he has a whole season still to go!

To quote his nomination letter:

“Joey has embodied a quiet, yet powerful leadership. He’s regarded by many of his peers and instructors as the top debater at camp, yet he never seems governed by a preoccupation with competitive success. Instead, he models intellectual humility, a willingness to try new things, and most of all, an unwavering kindness and respect for his peers. He epitomizes the sportsmanship that not only Matthew was known for, but that serves as the binding force at the heart of the OSDI and WUDL community…. Joey models a growth mindset for his younger labmates, always seeking to improve.”

Keoni Scott-Reid Outstanding Instructor Award: Eric Clarke

While Eric was a novice when Keoni was debating, he has continued to embody much of Keoni’s spirit as both a competitor, then as a coach. Eric just graduated from Georgetown University and works for an international intelligence analyst. When one of our original staff members had a conflict, Eric went to his employer and worked out a nights and weekends solution that would allow him to teach despite being employed full-time.

This summer, he co-lead the Transition to Varsity Lab, a tough teaching assignment with a lab full of young debaters not being challenged by JV anymore, and older debaters who we’ve fast-tracked before they graduate. Despite the tough assignment, Eric thrived, often demonstrating the skills he wanted his students to develop.

As a member of the broader team, Eric was always looking for ways to help out, showing up early and staying late to do all of the logistical stuff that happens behind the scenes with camp and serving meals. Upon hearing the early feedback from lab leaders, he worked with camp director Dupree to develop and implement the equity and inclusion electives, developing the plan and building staff engagement with the plan.

Eric is the first alumni to join WUDL’s Advisory Board, and is an integral part of the league’s success during the season as well.

Varsity:

1st Place: Wray/Villaflor

This almost wasn’t fair — two of the most seasoned, nationally successful WUDL seniors, captains of some of our best teams, competing together.

2nd Place: P. McCauley

Despite only coming to part of camp around and internship AND debating alone, the elder McCauley continues to lead Banneker to a bright future (and present).

3rd Place: J. Neuroth / Millhouse

Some of the youngest competitors in the division, these two young scholars wrote a complex aff about the intersection of capitalism and race all by themselves in two weeks, and their hard work paid off!

4th Place: Webster / Ondrejcak

Having won the JV division last year, then been a finalist at Middle School Nationals last year, Webster has made a name for herself lately. Debating with the new co-captain of the Duke Ellington team, they’ll be in the thick of the Varsity competition all year.

5th Place: W. Neuroth / A. Ajani

What happens when you put your two best researchers together? They’re over prepared, and have a great tournament day.

Top Speaker: Villaflor

Junior Varsity:

1st Place: Montgomery / Mbaye

I’m saying it here, now — Girls Global is going to be one of the teams to beat this year. Led by captain Montgomery, they’ll be joining the travel team, advancing to Varsity, and upstaging anyone who takes them lightly. And watch out for CMIT North too — 2nd year debater Mbaye got thrown in the deep in last year, but now that she’s learned to swim, watch out!

2nd Place: M. Sousa / Walker

DCI and Oyster just seem to keep turning out great debaters, year after year!

3rd Place: Olorunfemi / Clarke

The team that might just have won the division if they hadn’t gotten too fancy, seniors Olurunfemi (DuVal) and Clarke (Walls) are on the fast track.

4th Place: Little / Stevens

We loved having Stevens join us from NYC this summer, and she kept our kids honest, bringing new ideas and energy to the JV labs.

5th Place: Beauvais / M. Ajani

Having older siblings debate clearly helps — both of these younger siblings have a good shot at passing their older sibling’s competitive successes.

Top Speaker: Montgomery

Novice:

1st Place: Gibson / Simmons Pugh (Columbia Heights / Accokeek)

2nd Place: Schmidt / Seghal (BASIS DC)