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The Girdwood Debate team has been competing in Middle School Parliamentary Debate Program (MSPDP) tournaments since 2014. It is available to sixth through eighth graders and includes both a middle school elective class and an after school club. The parliamentary format challenges students to deliver speeches on topics like Alaska's income tax, Jus Soli citizenship, and big game hunting, with only 15 minutes preparation time. The critical thinking, expository speaking, and other skills gained through competitive experience help students both in their academic pursuits and later in their post-academic life. While competitive success is only one of the goals of the program, we are proud to have brought home a semi-finalist trophy from last year's state championship tournament thanks to the efforts of a hybrid team including Girdwood student Karis Short and her two partners from Seward. Girdwood School hosted its first MSPDP tournament this February, which was the largest in the history of the program in Alaska.