Woodward seniors take second place in national debate competition

Tripp Haskins, left, Max Abramson and Woodward Academy debate director Maggie Barthiaume.

Tripp Haskins, left, Max Abramson and Woodward Academy debate director Maggie Barthiaume.

Woodward seniors take second place in national debate competition

Woodward Academy seniors Max Abramson and Tripp Haskins finished second at this year's Barkley Forum for High Schools at Emory University, one of the nation's most prestigious interscholastic debate competitions. This marked the Academy's best finish at the Barkley Forum since 2006 and one of Woodward's best performances at any tournament since earning the national championship in 2012. Max and Tripp finished the preliminary rounds with an undefeated record. Sophomores Mona Mahadevan and Malachi Robinson also reached the elimination rounds for Woodward, the first time in school history for a sophomore-sophomore team, and the first time since 2012 that Woodward advanced two teams to the elimination rounds. Juniors Alanna Pearson and Arjun Srinivasan also compiled a winning 4-2 record in preliminary rounds.