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Lakeland District Debaters Finish Sixth At National Championships

SHRUB OAK, N.Y. -- You might not want to get in a debate with Lakeland High School students James Allan and Akshay Ramaswamy. You likely won’t win.

Akshay Ramaswamy, shown here, and fellow Lakeland High School student James Allan finished sixth at the 2015 National Speech and Debate Association’s Championship from June 14-19 in Dallas.

Akshay Ramaswamy, shown here, and fellow Lakeland High School student James Allan finished sixth at the 2015 National Speech and Debate Association’s Championship from June 14-19 in Dallas.

Photo Credit: Courtesy of Jennifer Ringler

Allan and Ramaswamy finished six out of 197 teams at the 2015 National Speech and Debate Association’s National Championship from June 14-19 in Dallas.

Competing in Policy Debate, Allan and Ramaswamy finished their six preliminary debates nearly undefeated, earning 11 votes from the 12 judges to advance to the elimination debates. The duo lasted seven debates before bowing out of the tournament against Damien (Calif.) High School by a 2-1 decision.

Allan finished the tournament as the ninth-best speaker and Ramaswamy 13th-overall out of 394 Policy Debate contestants.

The championship, the largest competition of its kind in the world, pitted close to 5,000 debaters and speakers from all 50 states and nine foreign countries.

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