In spite of the team only being in its third year, Niles North debate is earning more success than ever.

The debate team is coached by social studies teacher Katie Gjerpen, with juniors Ambria Benesch as president, D’Angelo Oberto-Besso Pando as vice president, Mia Temkin as novice mentor and Karli Goldenberg as secretary.

At the Iowa Caucus tournament, held on Oct. 25 through 27 in Cedar Rapids, Iowa, sophomore Benjamin Barov and junior Samuel Eschker finished in the top eight out of 90 teams in the varsity division, earning Niles North’s first ever Tournament of Champions qualifying debate round. In order to participate in the Tournament of Champions, held in May, teams must win two of these qualifying rounds.

In the novice division, freshmen Billy Bert and Charmee Kamdar finished in the top ten out of 34 teams with a record of 4-2.

Also competing in the varsity division at the Iowa Caucus tournament were sophomores Jimmy Gonzalas-Vicker, Ruby Hyder, Kainaat Lakhani and Mayte Santos and juniors Josh Bynum and Adam Yusen. The novice division consisted of freshmen Bushra Amiwala, Niteeksha Gandhi, Dzana Kmdzija, Sana Moid, Suleiman Nisar, Sara Siddiqui, Aashish Vishnani and Benjamin Yusen. In the public forum division, sophomore Maggie Balzekas and junior Alexandra Gabor competed.

Juniors Luc Walkington and Oberto-Besso Pando were invited to compete as one of 14 teams at the University of Southern California Round Robin held on Oct. 31 through Nov. 1. The pair finished second in their pod and Oberto-Besso Pando was named fifth overall speaker. They also competed at the David Damus Hollywood Invitational on Nov. 2 and 3 in Sherman Oaks, California, entering the elimination round in 20th place out of 80 teams with a 4-2 record, making it to the Double Octafinals.

Walkington and Oberto-Besso Pando were also invited to the Crestian Round Robin and Invitational in Fort Lauderdale, Florida in January.

An essay written by Barov, Walkington, Oberto-Besso Pando, Yusen, and junior Irene Diblich was selected to the Round of 64 in the 2013-2014 New York University International Public Policy Forum (IPPF). Niles North is the only school in Illinois to advance this far. The team will be competing for a spot in the Round of 32 against teams from all over the world, including schools from Lithuania, China, Korea, South Africa, Canada and Slovakia.

“I’m really proud of how successful the team has been, especially to see how far they’ve come in the last few years,” Gjerpen said.

“It’s really rewarding knowing that all the work I’ve put into debate has given me the opportunity to meet so many people from all around the country and knowing that the skills I’ve learned through debate are ones I can carry with me into the future,” Benesch said. “It’s astounding to see how much more socially, economically and politically aware of what’s going on in the world I am because of debate.”