Old Rochester Regional High School’s Debate Team won nine of their debates and lost six following the 2025-26 season’s first Southeastern Massachusetts Debate League (SEMDL) tournament at ORRHS on Dec. 3. (Photo Courtesy Old Rochester Regional School District and MA Superintendency Union #55)
MATTAPOISETT — Old Rochester kicked off the 2025-26 debate season with hundreds of debaters and judges from around 15 local high schools.
Members of the Southeastern Massachusetts Debate League (SEMDL), which aims to elevate the next generation of critical thinkers and communicators, gathered on Wednesday, Dec. 3, at the Old Rochester Regional High School for the season’s first tournament.
“The size of the league has grown so we packed every possible space at Old Rochester Regional High School,” said ORRHS Social Studies Teacher Dr. Colin Everett. “This year the league is debating the following resolution: ‘The United States federal government should significantly increase its exploration and/or development of the Arctic.’”
The policy-style debate focused on this season’s specific, nationwide topic. The competition employs a 2 vs. 2 debate format. Judges sat in classrooms with four students at a time, as a pair from one school argued the affirmatives, and a pair from another school argued the negatives.
Old Rochester Regional debaters won nine of their debates and lost six. Old Rochester’s team included the following student debaters: Cadogan Crete, Alexandra Fiano, Aurora Froes, Madeleine Gendreau, Penelope Angeley, Paige Marotta, Max Ohrenberger, Angela Palmer, Subhav Parajuli, Isabella Perez-Dormitzer, Luke Pierre, Eva Pinhancos, Emerson Roy, Catherine Sylvia-Everett, Olivia Thompson, Owen Travers and Elena Villafranca.
“I’m always impressed by the talent displayed by Old Rochester’s debate team,” said ORRHS Principal Mike Devoll. “This exercise is such a valuable experience for everyone involved. The powers of persuasion are vital to success in the everyday life of modern professionals. These debates help our students to hone those skills early.”
The League will meet again on Jan. 7 in Hanover (North) or Bishop Stang (South), on Jan. 28 in Taunton, on Feb. 11 in New Bedford, and for the finals on Feb. 25 in West Bridgewater.
Besides Old Rochester, the following high schools participate in the SEMDL: Bishop Feehan, Bishop Stang, Bridgewater-Raynham Regional, Cohasset, Fairhaven, Foxborough, Hanover, Hingham, New Bedford, Rising Tide Charter Public School, Silver Lake Regional, Sturgis Charter Public School, Taunton and West Bridgewater Middle-Senior.
“These debates require the students to think critically on their feet while pulling together cohesive and persuasive arguments,” said Superintendent Michael S. Nelson. “No matter the winner, the students who gather to compete at these debate tournaments walk away with incredibly valuable skillsets.”
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