The Debate Team of The Grange School made a powerful debut at the English-Speaking Union (ESU) Chile Debate Tournament 2025, held on Saturday 30th August at Liceo Carmela Carvajal, securing two consecutive victories that positions them as strong candidates for the playoffs.

The group is a part of a team made up of six talented young pupils who proudly represent The Grange School in this discipline. On this occasion, the participants were Nina Lipthay (First Speaker), Fernanda Marambio (Second Speaker and Summary Speaker), both from 2ºEM, and Sofía Álvarez (Third Speaker), from 3°EM. Franco Gherardelli, Matilde Montt (both from 3°EM) and Rafaella Goren from 4°EM round out the team. With their strong performance marked by confidence, teamwork, and strength in high-pressure rounds, the representatives have made it clear that The Grange School is a leading contender in this year’s tournament.

What is the ESU Debate Tournament?

The English-Speaking Union (ESU) is an international non-profit organisation founded in 1918 in Great Britain, after the First World War, through a Royal Charter. It was established under the patronage of the British Crown with the purpose of promoting effective communication in English as a tool for mutual understanding, cooperation and peace among nations. The Princess Royal has been President of this institution since 2011. Present in more than 50 countries, the ESU runs programmes that aim to strengthen public speaking confidence, improve conflict resolution skills, encourage teamwork, and contribute to human progress through the unity of English-speaking communities worldwide.

In Chile, the ESU has been active for more than four decades, becoming a benchmark in the development of communication and critical thinking skills among pupils from a wide range of schools. One of its most emblematic projects is the ESU Debate Tournament, an inter-school competition that each year brings together talented young debaters in both prepared and impromptu debates, the latter designed with only one hour of preparation on site, challenging participants to demonstrate research, quick thinking, creativity and team cohesion.

A Vibrant Opening Day

The first day of the ESU Debate Tournament 2025 was marked by intensity and poise as The Grange School team faced their opening two rounds.

Round 1 – Victory as Opposition against Craighouse

The debut could not have been more challenging: with just one hour of preparation, our pupils faced an impromptu motion that proposed abolishing school classes organised by age and replacing them with groupings according to skills and intelligence. Under pressure, the team built an Opposition strategy following the SHIELD model, covering everything from defending the status quo to the costs of implementation.

Nina opened the debate by defining key concepts and framing the issue with strength; Fernanda followed with sharp rebuttals and arguments centred on the logic of costs; and Sofía, with clarity and composure, closed the main clashes by reinforcing why the current system was safer and more effective.

“Being my first debate, I was quite nervous coming into this round especially as we had just an hour to prepare. But with the help of my teammates and Mr Baker, we were able to come through and confidently win the debate. It was an amazing experience and a great trust exercise where we built on each other’s responses, sticking to our position and showing emotion. I hope to repeat it someday.” 

                                                                                                        Nina Lipthay – 2°EM Pupil

“Although this impromptu round was the one I was most excited about, I also came to realize it was the most challenging. The fact that we had to prepare things at the spur-of-the-moment and couldn’t rely on solid facts was really difficult. I think one of the main reasons we won was due to our teamwork with Sofia and Nina, even beyond the strength of our arguments. Unlike the other team, we showed consistency when debating, about our arguments, rebuttals and points of information. Moreover, we maintained, repeated, and emphasized the Status Quo in our debate with each speaker, trusting each other with what we were going to say. It was a very nice experience and I had a lot of fun”.

Fernanda Marambio – 2°EM pupil

The effort was rewarded with a unanimous 3–0 win, placing The Grange at the top from the very start.

Round 2 – Narrow Victory as Proposition against CPV Providencia

The second match raised the stakes even higher. This time, as Proposition, the team defended the prepared motion on the use of targeted economic sanctions as the main tool of foreign policy against rogue states. It was a vibrant debate, with the advantage shifting back and forth.
Nina set out a clear framework, highlighting peace, moral leadership and justice by sanctioning leaders rather than citizens. Fernanda added evidence on the flexibility and effectiveness of sanctions while dismantling the Opposition’s criticisms. Sofía wrapped up the main speeches with a decisive comparison of “our world v/s their world”, weighing costs and benefits with authority.

“This second debate was probably the most intense, even though it was the prepared one. When the Opposition brought up countries like Cuba and Venezuela, we saw it as a real opportunity to clash with their arguments. My role was to gather all their points and close by showing why they didn’t hold. The tables turned when we argued that Cuba and Venezuela are not in their current state because of economic sanctions, but because they are dictatorships. It was a tough clash, but in the end, what helped us was framing the debate as ‘our world versus theirs,’ making clear that our vision was not only stronger but also fairer for ordinary people. Nina and Fernanda were incredible teammates, we won not just because we knew our arguments, but because we trusted each other and stood together.“

Sofía Álvarez – 3ºEM pupil

Finally, in her summary speech, Fernanda distilled the debate into its core issues, showing that the Proposition offered the strongest and most moral alternative. The result was a narrow but well-deserved 2–1 victory for The Grange, sealing the opening day with two consecutive wins and reinforcing the conviction that the road to the playoffs is firmly underway.

“For young debaters, moments like this matter,” said Thomas Baker, ESU Debate Coach. “Success gives them something positive to build on – the confidence to take risks, the resilience to keep growing, and the understanding that their best work happens when they trust each other.” 

Teamwork and Next Steps

One of the most notable aspects of the opening rounds was the cohesion of the Grange School team. Nina, Fernanda and Sofía constantly supported each other: passing notes, pointing out key issues and devising strategies during the speeches. This collaborative spirit was decisive in securing a perfect 2–0 start to the tournament.

Following this successful opening, the team is already preparing for the next challenges. On Saturday, 27th September, at Santiago College, they will face Round 3 (as Opposition against Nido de Aguilas School) and Round 4 (as Proposition against British Royal School).

While enjoying a well-deserved break during the Chilean Independence festivities, these pupils remain focused on their training, with their sights set on securing a place in the decisive stages.

Congratulations to Nina, Fernanda and Sofía for representing the Grange School with skill, humility and excellence. Their commitment and teamwork promise a very bright future in this year’s ESU Debate Tournament.

When and Who Takes Part in ESU 2025?

The English-Speaking Union (ESU) Chile launched its traditional Debate Tournament on Saturday, 30th August, in its 2025 edition. This year’s event brings together 16 participating schools, reflecting the recovery of pre-pandemic participation levels and confirming the prestige of the tournament in the national academic calendar.

The tournament will run over three additional sessions, between September and November, in a format that combines prepared debates with impromptu debates — the latter requiring only one hour of preparation on site. Teams that successfully progress through the initial stages will advance to the semi-finals and the grand final, where the winner will be chosen to represent Chile at the World Schools Debating Championship (WSDC).

ESU 2025 Programme

• 30th August – Carmela Carvajal School: Rounds 1 and 2.
  Prepared Motion: “This house supports the use of targeted economic sanctions as a primary tool of foreign policy against rogue states.”
• 27th September – Santiago College: Rounds 3 and 4.
  Prepared Motion: “This House believes that the benefits of artificial intelligence in creative fields (e.g., art, music, writing) outweigh the harms.”
• 4th October – British Royal School: Round 5 and Quarter-finals.
• 25th October – Villa María Academy: Semi-finals and Final.

With this programme, ESU Chile reaffirms its role as a space for learning and exchange that transcends competition, turning debate into a tool for comprehensive education and global connection.

When and Where

The final stage of the ESU 2025 Tournament will take place on Saturday, 25th October, at Villa María Academy. On that day, both the semi-finals and the grand final will be held, in a demanding format as qualifying teams must debate more than once in the same day.

How it Works

The semi-finals bring together the top four teams from the qualifying rounds (based on victories, accumulated points and argument quality).

Each debate may be on a prepared or impromptu motion, testing both prior research and the ability to react under pressure.

The winners of each semi-final advance to the grand final, where a jury of experienced judges, former debaters and academics will determine the national champion.

Prize and Projection

The winning team of ESU Chile earns the honour of joining Team Chile, which represents our country at the World Schools Debating Championship (WSDC), the most prestigious school debating tournament in the world. This international event is held each year in a different country — in previous editions in Singapore, Thailand, Slovenia, Mexico and others — and brings together the best school teams on the planet.

In 2025, the venue was Panama, where Chile delivered an outstanding performance, advancing through several preliminary rounds and competing against delegations from Europe, Asia and the Americas, consolidating its presence in a tournament that attracts more than 70 nations. Next year, the challenge will move to Nairobi, Kenya, where Chilean representatives are expected to once again raise the country’s name high in a multicultural and highly competitive setting.

This path not only opens doors to international competition but also provides a unique learning experience that combines critical thinking, leadership and teamwork. Representing Chile at the WSDC is both a national pride and an academic honour, reserved for the very best debaters.

For students at The Grange School who wish to follow this path, the invitation is open: they can approach the English Department and contact the teacher in charge of the ESU Debate, Professor Thomas Baker, who has over 20 years of experience preparing teams for this competition. In addition, Professor Baker has authored three books on debate and one book on Public Speaking, reinforcing his recognized leadership in the field. Under his guidance and preparation, the school’s teams embark on a journey that, with effort and dedication, can become a truly transformative experience and lead all the way to the World Grand Final.