The Timber Creek Debate Team joined the national circuit this year, with appearances at Yale, Harvard and Emory. At each of these events, Timber Creek was represented by two Public Forum teams that made it as far as any Florida school. Timber Creek is the only public high school in Orange County to achieve their current level of success, which can only be rivaled by Trinity Preparatory School, a privately funded institution.

The team’s faculty sponsor, Elizabeth Eskin, is also the chairman of the Advance Placement program. The team participates in three high school leagues: the prestigious National Forensic League (NFL), the National Catholic Forensic League (NCFL), and the Florida Forensic League (FFL).

Nine students qualified for NCFL’s 2008 national competition on May 23rd. Two teams, in a national field of 23, qualified for the Tournament of Champions invitation-only competition.

At Emory, both Public Forum teams made it to the second round, with one team advancing to the final four. At Yale, both Public Forum teams made it to the second round, and one team got to the quarter finals, out of a field of 160 teams. At Harvard, both Public Forum teams made it to second round, with one team advancing to the top 16, out of a field of 270 teams.

Nine students debated at the Catholic Forensic League’s Grand National Championship in Appleton, Wisconsin, at the end of May – three teams in a Public Forum Debate, two students in a Lincoln Douglas debater, and one student in Extemporaneous Speaking. One of the Public Forum Debate teams will be competing at the National Forensic League National Speech and Debate Championship in Henderson, Nevada, June 15-20.