THE FINAL DEBATE

On Thursday, April 10th, 2025, the UHS Debate Club concluded its final debate. Both teams' efforts were amazing. The president and founder, Alan Mowle, thanked everyone for their consideration and for not letting the debate club down since the debates began back in November. The club members have shown dedication, sophistication, and growth throughout these months of debating, and it all came down to this final debate, on the controversy surrounding rehabilitation and punishment within the ways our criminal justice system handles offenders.

The most recent and final debate was arguing whether the criminal justice system should focus more on rehabilitation or punishment. The two teams consisted of: Team 1 (Chemyne, Keren, Chinonye, Deasha, Temi, & Ysalba) and Team 9 (Valerie, Vivian, Zahirah, Sabrinah, Eli, Filipe, & Kevin). Rehabilitation refers to the process of helping offenders return to constructive and law-abiding lives in society through various interventions and programs. Punishment refers to the official penalties imposed on individuals convicted of crimes by the authority of the law and a court judgment. The two teams had strong arguments when it came to arguing their side. Team 1 focused on punishment over rehabilitation, while Team 9 focused on rehabilitation over punishment. 

The debate was held in a very sophisticated manner, and as always, applause was held until the very end. Ysalba (from Team 1) utilized her outgoing personality in a very mature manner during the debate. Her continuous display of professionalism on stage solidified her as the Debate Club's final "Member of the Meeting". Her voice was loud and prominent, emphasizing that she stood for what she believed in. Team 9 also led their argument with lots of conviction. Although both groups led their teams strongly, Team 1 ended up victorious. This goes without saying that both teams have refined their skills, and their growth has been shown in their debates. Thank you to Sundas Ali, Domenick Nuzzo, and Azi Solis for their consistent dedication to the media work surrounding this club. This final debate doesn’t mark the end of the UHS Debate club’s meetings! Stay tuned in the classroom for updates as the year comes to an end.

Author: Sundas Ali, Media Manager of Debate Club    Published: April 19th, 2025